I think I
by Archee-chan
Summary: AU. SasuHina. A womanhater, SASUKE, gets an unwanted attention from all girls. Feeling irritated, he asks HINATA, the only girl who doesn't have interest in him, to be his PSEUDO-LOVER. But what can he do when he really falls in LOVE to her?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One –The Perfect Candidate-**

Nobody could turn their head away from the new boy.

He was attractive, mesmerizing to be exact He was tall and lean, the kind of body a lot of girls would want in a guy. His deep, blood colored orbs were glaring at every eye that had been staring at him, his pale hand sometimes darted to his raven hair, ruffling his hair back in nonchalantly. Those pinkish lips didn't show any hints that it would be curved to a smile, but that didn't intimidate the ogling girls. In fact, those enigmas were the things that made them all hot and bothered.

"I'm Uchiha. Sasuke Uchiha." The boy said curtly, still adopting those disinterested gestures. "From now on, I'll study here."

"Gosh, he's co cute!" Ino Yamanaka gushed; her action was repeated by the majority of the girls in the class.

Only Sakura Haruno –Ino's eternal enemy as they dubbed it- succeeded to endure herself from sighing, she tossed her pink hair and then gave the boy her most lascivious wink. "He'll definitely sit beside me, right Sasuke?"

Her eyes were flirtatious, carefully made so.

Despite the fact he hated how the girl called him and how he wanted to bombard her with insults, Sasuke tried his best to only glare at her. His lips tight as the fists clenched hard on his sides.

"But-but Sakura!" Naruto Uzumaki, the school's resident clown, chimed in. "I'm sitting next to you, how come he'll sit here if I am here?"

"Oh, go away, loser." She barked coldly onto the blonde, then concentrated her eyes to the new guy again. Sometimes, her gaze met Ino's and they regurgitated the notorious Ino-Sakura-Glaring-Contest.

Naruto pouted when he realized his lost.

Not even one realized that on the very back, Hinata Hyuuga felt like her blood was flaming. She didn't like to see how Sakura treated the sweet boy but it wasn't her place to fight the taller girl. Sakura was stronger at both status and grades. And she had much more followers than Hinata, that is, if she had any follower at all. Besides, everybody had known that Naruto Uzumaki had been harboring special feeling to the pink-haired girl ever since kindergarten. Unfortunately, his love was unrequited; the girl clearly didn't have any interest in him.

And to make this unfortunate series worse, she had special feelings to the loud blonde, making this seemed like an ironic love-triangle which involve two lovestruck idiots.

She sighed heavily. Even if she jumped in front of the blonde and started to striptease, she doubted that the boy would take even a glimpse to her. The only girl that could perch on his heart was Sakura and only Sakura. Then again, the theory backfired to Hinata. The only boy whom she had approved to stay on her heart was Naruto. And only would be Naruto.

She was so sure of that.

By the way, Hinata couldn't help but to thank the new kid –Susaku, or Susuka or whatever his name-. Somehow, his helluva arrival gave her more chances to check out her blondie knight on shining armor. The girls were too busy ogling Sasuke and the boys were too busy glaring at the very same person. Nobody would notice that Hinata was looking at Naruto, nobody would notice her daydream about her and Naruto's wedding, and nobody would mock her like they always did.

Alas…

Sasuke noticed it, though.

He saw it, the only one who hadn't darted her eyes on him. He knew she didn't do it for the sake of play-hard-to-get games. She'd glanced at him, but she looked away like he was just another passerby. He found it ironic that of all students, the only one who considered him nondescript was the raven-haired, petite girl who looked equally nondescript in his eyes.

Sasuke had seen and scrutinized almost all pupils in the class. Most boys were cows, and most girls were wantons. Some of them had great bodies, though. Not to mention that there were a few cupcakes that could sent him to cold showers, very much like the blonde one and the pink-haired one. Sasuke knew he just needed to snap his fingers, and he could pick any girls there to bed with him.

His pride was too high to do that.

He took a glance to the raven haired chick and saw her smiling to the dumblonde's back. The blonde obviously didn't notice it, for he was busy protesting at the pink-haired girl.

Perfect, this was just perfect.

Ignoring the poor teacher's prattle about him, Sasuke strode to the very bottom of the class and stopped his feet when he faced the petite girl.

He put a hand on the empty desk beside her. "Can I sit here?" his query sounded more like a demand.

When Hinata heard this, she almost squeaked. The new kid's body was so big that she couldn't see anything but his torso. His cold voice was scary to her ears, unlike Naruto's mellifluous voice that could always soothe her.

When she looked up, her white eyes met his red ones.

He had eyes like an albino.

And a creepy one.

She bit her lower lip as she tried to avert his gaze. But the guy wasn't a quitter; he kept following her eyes and indirectly forced her to look at his . Her sweats and anxiousness seemed to amuse him as her nervousness started to overwhelm her.

"I…uhmm.." Hinata couldn't really say that she was okay with his idea. Besides, she really didn't want to have him to sit beside her. There was Neji beside her, and she was happy with that. Even though her cousin/bodyguard seemed frightening at first glance, Hinata learnt that Neji was a sweet guy who had heart made of gold. Besides, Neji was the only one she could talk with.

"Well?" Sasuke still forced her, now he supported his weight to his left hand, which got embedded to Hinata's table. He leaned his body to her, invading her personal space. She could hear the girls cried in dismay and Hinata only could gulp more when she saw his sharp red-eyes and tilted her head down deeper than it already was.

"There… there's.. someone..b-beside me.." she stammered. She really didn't want to have a creepy guy near her, and she didn't like the idea of being roasted by the girls' jealousy fire. "He-he's currently.. s-sick.."

Sasuke angled his head. "Really?" he murmured, his blood colored eyes flickered to the empty seat beside the girl. Then he turned his head to the prattling Ebisu-sensei and raised his eyebrows in elegant tilt. "Can I sit here, sir?"

Ebisu suddenly stopped his rant and nodded obediently. "Sure!"

A look of triumph was on his face when he stared at the startled girl. He tossed his backpack and flopped onto the chair, his mouth curved into a victorious smirk. He used his eye-corner to check if the girl was checking him out, and much to his relief, she wasn't. Instead, she was plucking on her nails and biting her lips uneasily. Somehow he knew the uneasiness wasn't because of him, but because of her qualms about him.

_She was an ideal candidate, _Sasuke smirked inwardly. He hadn't picked a wrong girl.

Meanwhile, it was impossible for Hinata to get anymore scared than this. There was a creepy red-eyed guy sitting next to her, on Neji's seat! She wanted to be angry, but no matter how much energy she had mustered, it was all perished when she saw those bloodcurdling red eyes and extremely pale skin. Plus, the new kid's body was big and toned, maybe as big as Neji. That made her come to the conclusion that he wouldn't feel a thing even if she punched him hard.

"You're a fucking ass, new kid!" Naruto shouted from the middle class, making Hinata blush. She always had seen Naruto shouted and cursed, but she never saw the blonde had a serious angry face on his handsome profile.

The new kid seemed unfazed. "Excuse me?"

"You forced Hinata to allow you to sit there! She fucking doesn't like you, asshole!"

Fact #1: He just implied that he knew her all this time.

Fact #2: He just shouted to Sasuke on her defense.

Fact #3: At this rate, Hinata didn't know if she would faint due to anxiousness or happiness.

Naruto, Naruto Uzumaki, the boy she had liked since she was still in kindergarten, Naruto actually tried to defend her! Even though he looked frightening shouting like that, but it still sounded sweet. After all, he shouted for _her_.

She could see heaven on her eyes.

However, the heaven got quickly sapped to hell when the new kid's voice rose. "My name is Uchiha, in case you'd forgotten it, and I _will_ sit here."

Hinata only fidgeted when she received glares from three fourth of the female population in the class.

"Why you.." Naruto was ready to jump on Sasuke to start a fight, before then Prof. Ebisu- stopped him in the right time. The older man shouted a thunderous 'detention!' as he dragged Naruto to the principal's office.

After the sound of the footsteps had gone and the teacher was nowhere in sight, the class started to raise the din.

Hinata never one who made such voice, for she was always fidgeting on the very back, concentrating her brain to the books she always brought. Talking and/or gossiping was really out of her ability, making her one of the few girls who didn't have any girlfriends. Right now she had a L.J Smith on her hand and was about to continue the reading when she saw someone put her butt on her table.

Sakura was sitting on her desk, her eyes stared hungrily to the guy next to her as she crossed and uncrossed her legs continuously, making the guys drooled to see her luscious tights. It's one of her ploys, and she made a good damn use of her body.

"Sakura Haruno." She introduced herself sweetly. "Sasuke Uchiha, right? Never forget my name, kay?"

Sasuke merely glared at her.

"Aww, don't be that vicious, baby.." Sakura tossed her pink hair and rested one slender finger on her soft cheek. "You can sit on the idiot's place if you want…it's a better place than in _here._" her eyes were on Hinata when she said it.

"Who's the idiot?" was Sasuke's short reply. Hinata had to admit that she felt rather happy to see that Sasuke was unaffected by Sakura's bad remarks on her.

For a girl who liked to talk, Sakura didn't look disappointed by Sasuke's lack of words. "Idiot, Naruto, the dumblonde who spit spat at you." she explained rather brusquely, now twirling her pink lock.

"Oh.." he halted for a second, then glanced to Hinata to see the girl's reaction when he said this: "Naruto likes you."

Just as he expected, the petite girl sank on her seat.

Sakura, on the other hand, let out a ladylike titter; an action that could have been arousing had she didn't do it on other people's expense. "Never knew you've been paying attention to me, Sasuke.. Don't worry, I don't like him."

"Will you just stop flirting, forehead slut?" Ino screeched as she also made her way to Sasuke's place. Hinata sank deeper to his seat, there were never any popular kid visited her place. Ever. And now there were two of the most popular girls were clashing in front of her.

Hinata drew her breath and started to talk to the girls for the first time in her life. Maybe they would like her and ask her to join their groups. Naruto would really notice her if she was teaming-up with either Sakura or Ino. "U-Uhmm…" Hinata automatically spluttered. "S-Sakura..Ino… I think… I think the teacher w-would—"

"Could you get up from there, whitey eyes? I have business with this slut, thank you." Ino cut her off and Hinata knew it wasn't her place to object. She hastily obeyed the blonde's words and stood beside her own table.

"Hello, Sasuke!" Ino greeted the guy cheerfully. "Meeting Ino Yamanaka here. I'll sit here, okay?"

Ino didn't wait for his response but just sat on Hinata's chair, and after making sure that her elbow touched Sasuke's, she smirked at the pink-haired girl and spoke: "Like hell any guy would pay attention to a OCD freak like you." Hinata almost shuddered when she felt the hatred on Ino's tone.

Sakura's hatred was mutual in her quick retort. "You actually think a bimbo like you is worth anyone's time?"

Ino flinched at this remark.

Hinata also winced at Sakura's words. How cruel of her, Ino had been known as a beautiful girl with no brain. That wasn't exactly true, Hinata knew how Ino tried so hard to get good marks, or at least, decent scores. Ino's IQ wasn't as high as Sakura, so she had to study harder. Sakura was a lucky girl for being both a top-achiever and the prom-queen candidate, albeit she couldn't snatch the homecoming queen title because her blonde-haired rival had had it.

"S-Sakura.. you'd you'd gone too far..!" Hinata tried to remind her, but she only received a cold glare from the girl.

"Who are _you_?" Sakura hissed, her tone referring to their huge gap in social status.

It shut Hinata's mouth up.

Sasuke smirked as he realized that it was his time to play hero. He got up and threw both the pink haired girl and the blonde an icy glare.

"Scram." He said.

Both girls still had courage by trying to persuade him, but then Sasuke went berserk and hit the table hard. "FUCK OFF!" his shouting was unexpectedly loud until the whole class fell silent. Even Ino had tears in her blue eyes.

After a few grumbles and goodbyes, Ino and Sakura finally went back to their own tables. The yellow-haired girl suddenly broke into tears when she sat, her friends were consoling her while some of them shot Sasuke terrified looks.

Sasuke tapped Hinata's chair after Ino was on her real seat. "You sit here, right?"

Hinata nodded.

"Then come sit." He said.

Again, Hinata nodded and sat there, still frightened from all those 'hitting table' incident. She quietly opened her Soulmate novel and nervously read it. She could feel Sasuke's eyes were on her by time to time, and it really made her feel uncomfortable.

But she made a mistake when she glanced up to him and locked eyes with him.

"You believe in Soulmate theory?" he asked.

The poor girl had to gulp for several times before she could answered him properly. "Y-Yes.."

A small, very small smile fleeted. "_Two people connected, bound to each other forever, soul to soul, in a way that even death couldn't break. Two souls that were destined for each other."_ He quoted L.J Smith.. "Right?" he asked her again.

"P-precisely.."

Her reply seemed didn't satisfy him, but she couldn't find any better answer. It was rare to see someone who shared the same passion with her, but she was too afraid to the new guy, and she was too disappointed to act cheerful. After all, her only friend –Neji- wouldn't sit beside her anymore if he were here.

What made it weird was the fact that Sasuke looked _concerned_ by how she reacted. She saw it by herself, Sasuke showed hints of uneasiness at her lack of actions. She half-hoped that she was just imagining things, but when he cautiously touched her shoulder, she willy-nilly had to accept the truth that Sasuke _was_ concerned.

"Am I making you uncomfortable?" his tone still cold, but somehow it showed an implicit gentleness.

Not trusting herself to speak, Hinata decided to shake her head. Sometimes her eyes went to his red-ones and shuddered. It was a color of blood, a color she had hated since forever. She always avoided color red. But now she had to undergo a torment in which she had to sit next to a crimson-eyed guy.

Life was sure unfair.

And it seemed more unfair when Sasuke realized her reason. "You're.. scared of my eyes?"

This time Hinata nodded.

A pained look crossed his face, but then he took something out from his backpack, he fiddled with it and his eyes for a while, and when he looked at the girl again, Hinata didn't see any red orb anymore. Those were replaced by a pair of deep onyx eyes.

"You…"

"Wear contacts, yes." Sasuke finished for her. "Doesn't really like how it feels, though. _You_ feeling better?"

Suddenly Hinata felt guilty by her inappropriate gestures back then. His eyes were already naturally red, so why would she protest about it? For God's sake, she had light lavender eyes that verged on looking WHITE with the wrong lighting, it looked much more scarier than Sasuke's!

"Sorry.." she said, bowing her head several times. "S-sorry if I.. offended you.."

He didn't reply.

Realizing that Sasuke was still mad at her bad manners, Hinata bit her lower lips and decided to be quiet. At least she didn't need to receive those scary shouts from him.

She had no idea that Sasuke was cheering inside. And he had to keep quiet if he didn't want to lose his coolness and hug her just right there.

"No prob." He finally said.

'_The one who doesn't have interest in me, and already likes somebody else. Unfortunately, the 'somebody else' doesn't even know that she's there and already in love with another girl. It's beyond enough._' Sasuke thought. _'Not only that, but the girl also have courtesy..'_ it was already far beyond his imagination. Although he didn't mind about the unexpected plus point.

He just met the perfect candidate to be…

The pseudo-girlfriend!

**Chapter one ended**

**AN**

Thank you for reading. :) It took me great courage to repost this. I'll edit bits and bits as I go. Rereading this story and Little Wonders made me tear up. I couldn't believe how much I improved at the course of writing this story to this community. Taking down the story wasn't fair for you guys, so I decided at least to put back the story and tried updating (with new chapters).

Thank you.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two –The Illogical Brouhahas-**

Nothing had ever been the same since Sasuke's arrival to Konoha High.

All the girls swooned at him, showering him with hopeful kisses and hugs -all rejected of course- while the boys sulked under his shadow. In the history of the school, never had there been a newcomer who could make pawns of the whole school in just ninety minutes… But there's always a first time for everything.

There were at least three people trailing Sasuke whenever he went. They either got bored of being ignored or were shushed away by Sasuke before they stopped, only to be replaced by another different people. His situation was funny, because most of the time, people would strive for attention, not decline it.

Hinata noticed it thoroughly, since she sat on the very back of the class. She also had the prospect of watching other peoples' antiques freely without the constant fear of being caught. Her location also gave her freedom to watch over her precious Naruto, since she'd crafted her location so carefully that out of 7 periods, 4 of them was the same with him.

She also picked the table at the very corner in the cafeteria; another perfect place to observe him. Hardly anyone joined her, except the occasional time of Neji-nii and his fans joined her. But now, since Neji-nii was hospitalized, she had no companions.

Until today.

A boy, features the complete opposite of her own, settled at her lonely able, startling her greatly. He watched her silently, his black-red orbs studying her. His eyes rarely left hers, even as one hand crammed food into his mouth, the other ruffling the back of his hair.

"U..uuuhh… by-by the way.." Hinata halted; she didn't know what to call this guy. Should she call him Uchiha? Or would he prefer being called by his first name? But Hinata couldn't remember it; she hadn't been listening to Ebisu-sensei when the teacher introduced the albino.

He seemed to understand her dilemma. "Hi. My name's Sasuke Uchiha." he said with no inflection in his tone, as his hand took hers into a firm shake.

She quickly withdrew her blazing her once he loosened it.

"O-okay.. umm, U-Uchi.." she stuttered. Sasuke gave her the creeps and she didn't know how to react to the sudden attention. She drew a deep breath and tried again, "I-I mean, Uchih- a Uchi..."

Amused by her difficulty in pronouncing the simple word, Sasuke rested his jaw on his palm, watching her attempts to say his name. Noticing his gazes sent chills down Hinata's spine and she squirmed.

"You're worse than those kindergarten kiddos." Sasuke said with unexpected serenity, "It's U-C-H-I-H-A. .Ha," he said so slowly, the way one would talk to imbeciles.

'He thinks I'm stupid' Hinata thought sourly. After chewing on her lips nervously and strengthening herself, she could finally say it: "U-Uchiha."

An indecipherable smile spread on his face as he nodded in approval. "It'll sound better if you can stop stuttering."

She nodded.

"Uhm… Uchiha..." Hinata tried again. "Y-your seat… my c-c-cousin s-sits there..." she swallowed and continued quickly. "And... and I-I think he wouldn't like it… if he knew t-that y-you're sitting on his chair.."

"Hmmm," he nodded casually, "So?"

"A-and… Neji… that's my cousin's name…." She halted, thinking of some threat that would cause the boy to withdraw. "He p-punches really hard…"

He stopped his eating this time, and then locked his reddish eyes on Hinata's white ones, making the girl gulp when she saw the red-liquid beneath his black contacts.

"For your information, I kick hard."

Hinata was silenced, but that condition didn't stay very long. "Neji.. Neji knows a-a few kungfu techniques, too."

"I've taken self-defense classes."

"He- He has also t-taken tae-kwon-do…"

At this point, Sasuke sighed. "If I say I can do capoeira, then you'd probably reply by saying that your Neji can perform wu-shu."

Hinata bent her head down when her lies were discovered.

Sasuke leaned on his forearms. "What were you suggesting, anyway?"

She bit her lower lip, contemplating how she would say that. "Would you... would you exchange—"

"—seats…?"

"Sasuuukeeee!" a high-pitched voice sang.

Sakura's voice easily drowned out Hinata's. Hinata pursed her lips and took a spoon to start eating fast. The pink haired banshee waved one of her tanned hands at them- okay, at Sasuke, who did a good job of pretending that he didn't see her. But Sakura was persistent. She jogged over to their table and plopped her books next to Hinata,

A small plate of salad rested between Sakura and Sasuke.

'So that's why she's so anorexic,' Hinata thought as her eyes traveled over the scarce food placed before her.

"Hi Sasuke..." Sakura said sweetly. She turned to Hinata with a vague wrinkle on her nose. "Hello. Nice shirt."

Hinata murmured her greeting and thanks –even though she knew that Sakura was mocking her. But Sasuke kept maintaining his poker face.

Hinata could see how his eyes widened when he saw a spoon of salad that was only inches away from his mouth.

Sakura was trying to feed him.

"Come on eat, Sasuke..." Sakura commanded softly, and then shot him a wide smile from ear to ear. "I don't do this often..."

'Ah.' Hinata thought, 'If Uchiha were to fall for Sakura's charm and decide to sit beside her…then he would exchange places with Naruto and…and…'

She blushed at the thought, it was mean to think something like that but she couldn't help it. For the longest time, she had wanted to sit beside Naruto, even though she didn't think she'd be able to speak to him, the thought of sitting next to him was enough to satisfy her absence of speech.

She looked up at Sasuke, half-hoping he would give in to Sakura.

"I'm not a rabbit," Sasuke said.

Hmm. Logical.

"It's healthy," Sakura still pushed. Without warning, she pushed the spoon up to his lips.

"What the hell..." Sasuke immediately shoved the spoon away, "are your intentions…" his eyes were starting to turn dark by anger zeal, "by feeding me?"

Ominous silence followed his little outburst.

Sakura was too startled to respond.

Hinata just plain scared.

"You think I'm a dog?" He continued, "You think I'm some poor hobo who can't feed himself!"

"I-…I-" of course Sakura was confused. That was her most effective tactic to entice boys. Never had she experienced such a fiasco. Sakura pursed her lips and then turned it into a smile, -and Hinata wondered how long she'd practiced to smile so sweetly in such bitter situations-. She put a hand on his shoulder and tried to placate him. "-Sasuke- … I didn't know—"

His voice was cold. "Get. Off. Me."

"Sasuke-—"

"GET OFF ME!"

Even Sakura knew when to withdraw. She muttered a lie to save last vestige of dignity, then picked up her books and ran.

Audible nasal sound came from Sasuke's nostrils.

Hinata still had her spoon lifted up on the air, as she was too astonished to move. She didn't know whether to laugh or to squirm. After all, she sat near Sasuke the whole time; one wrong move could throw her under 'Session two of Uchiha's wrath'.

Sasuke suddenly laid his glare on her, then to her lifted spoon. Hinata flinched when she realized that her pose made her looked like wanted to feed him too.

"I-I'm not tr-trying to feed you… U-Uchiha!" she said before Sasuke had a chance to speak. "Trust me! I—I'm going t-to eat it m-myself..!"

Then she did it. Fast. Her father had taught her to maintain the elegance even in her most vulnerable state, but this time, she could snooze over the rule and pigged herself out of her food as fast as she could. It was, after all, her life that was at risk.

"I'm going n-now." Hinata said quickly after she'd finished her food.

She didn't want to stay near the bloodcurdling guy.

And his red-eyes…

Weren't those scary (Hinata) –supah-dupah-ultra-HOT (Ino and Sakura) –turning you on – (sex-crazed girls) – cynosure (bookworms girls), -an epitome of a perfect sex-partner –(gay's district), -beatific- (art-crazed girls)?

Oh God…

Little did Hinata know that she just gave Sasuke an (inward) hysterical laugh.

* * *

><p>Just after the recess was done, everything changed.<p>

In science class, Hinata could see Kin's former frizzy hair magically turned glossy and SUPER straight –very much like those shampoo models' hair.

The petite girl gawked at the sudden challenge, but she couldn't help gaping in both remorse and pity when she realized that the hair was only a mere wig. By the time Kin wanted to show if off in front of Sasuke by tossing her hair left and right, it fell down to the floor, along with everyone's laughter.

She didn't see Kin again that day.

In A.P Calculus, both Usagi and Tenten –the bun-bun girls- wore even more buns. Tenten had up to six buns, but Usagi's buns almost reached ten. Hinata heard from the gossipers that Usagi and Tenten had a short-but-concise practice of flirting during the English class.

At first, Hinata didn't trust it, but she finally believed the rumors when she saw both of the mentioned girls simultaneously swaying their hips whenever they passed Sasuke. And if possible, they added an act of batting eyelashes while waving their hands at the boy.

Sasuke didn't even glance at the bun-bun girls. But when he did he said coldly, "I hate saying this, but you two look very much like the female versions of whoever played Fred and George between takes."

They actually considered this a compliment at first. Eyes twinkling, they gazed at him with such expectations. "And what is that?"

Sasuke only needed about a second to find the right word. "Terrifying."

It was later known that Usagi and Tenten had a glorious catfight after school.

The most significant changes were with Ino and Sakura.

The seventh period was Honors English; both of them came late at a different caliber. Ino was ten minutes late, but Sakura was almost twenty minutes tardy. Ino had changed her former blue tank top to a flirtatious red halter, and Sakura changed her former spaghetti strap into a tempting black-and-red tube top.

There was no Honor English lesson that day due to the fact that the teacher fainted from an exceptional nose-bleed.

Sigh…

Talk about the power of a mere mortal named Sasuke Uchiha…

But what made Hinata got infuriated was…that the new kid kept sticking with her!

And when Hinata cautiously rubbed it in at Honor English class, Sasuke only casually shrugged and said:

"You're exaggerating, those were accidents."

"..Oh... okay…" Hinata managed to smile weakly. "Accidents… T-that's right…"

Yeah, right…

They were accidentally having the very same lesson in every period. Hinata always sat on the back and Sasuke accidentally always had either Hinata's right or left side as his assigned seat. Even at lunch, the albino also accidentally had the same dietary food like Hinata's, and don't forget the accident when he accidentally sat across her at the same table.

Hinata almost sure that she would likely have a nightmare about a white-ghost with red eyes screaming 'ACCIDENT, ACCIDENT' while chasing her to her death.

Art was the last lesson that day, and as always, Hinata and Sasuke sat side by side accidentally again. Hinata knew the guy wouldn't take the hint so she only shook her head weakly and gave up.

She sat on her seat passively and tried her best not to look at him. She didn't like how his original red orbs scarcely mixed up with the black contacts. Besides, he always had this weird expression of both amusement and contentment whenever she glanced at him. Like he knew a joke was thrown to her but not letting her know about it.

Sometimes it made her shudder when she glanced up to him and saw him staring with critical interest at her.

Maybe that's because of my body? Hinata thought ruefully. 'Maybe my chest is bigger than most girls?'

It was a fatal blow to her; her body developed too fast. Sometimes she looked in the mirror and felt embarrassed to see her big busts and her model-like curves. It always drew catcalls from the guys, and she didn't like it. Some people even mistook her as a vivacious girl with no brain, and thus, shunned her from good perceptions. Sure, some girls wanted to have a body like hers, but…

Those assets didn't make her proud. It merely explained why she wore baggy shirts and men's pants. Too bad it made her looked fat and shapeless.

She almost yelped when she felt a little squeeze on her left arm. Sasuke's voice came shortly after the nudge.

"Your name?"

His eyes were glued on her and it made her uncomfortable, so she turned away and squeezed her hands together. She had to gulp for several times before she could properly speak, "Hi-Hinata..."

He angled his head, looking bemused, "Only that?"

Hinata shook her head. "M-my surname is Hyuuga.." she said in her soft voice. It wasn't that she was embarrassed of her family, no, of course not. The Hyuugas never had any rap lists; they regularly attended churches and charity, they weren't nearly as rich as the Uchihas, however the proved themselves as a competition when it comes to honor. It was she who ashamed her family with her low scores and submissive manner.

"A Hyuuga, huh?" Sasuke mused and repeated it several times. A second later, Hinata found him was testing her full name in awe. "Your name is strange."

'As if yours isn't!' Hinata wanted retort back. But of course, she didn't have the guts to do such a thing, so she swallowed it down.

He didn't receive a reply and continued. "It's strange, but beautiful." He halted at this rate and tilted his head up, closing his eyes while he breathed out: "I like it..."

Now Hinata wasn't sure if she would have either a nightmare or sweet-dream. She had to admit that she liked the view before her. Even though Sasuke wasn't as attractive as Naruto –in Hinata's eyes-, but still, Sasuke's looks didn't hurt. Especially when he had his eyes closed, Hinata could see the long and heavy eyelashes sweep down. It was feminine, but it did a good job of embellishing Sasuke's calm profile.

His suggestive pose drew some wistful sighs from the girls, but he merely ignored them. He opened his black-reddish eyes and locked them to hers.

When Hinata realized that Sasuke was waiting for her to reply, she quickly bowed her head a few times and murmured: "Thank you."

Sasuke half-smiled.

Kurenai-sensei came shortly thereafter. And she demanded the class to make a sketch of making something or someone beautiful. The students responded it by letting out cries of relief and a minute later no one made sounds again. Everybody was busy with their pencils and charcoal, some of them looked at various objects or memories to memorize the details.

And Sasuke looked at the petite girl next to him.

Indeed, she wasn't the one who he would call pretty or beautiful. That Hyuuga girl was more to cute than gorgeous, thanks to her small body and weightless look.

As Sasuke kept studying her for the last few minutes, he also learned that the girl was a shyer type who would always stammer whenever she talked. It really wasn't a plus score for him, but overall, the girl was passable. Her family name also gave him credit in front of his own dysfunctional family. His parents would never protest as long as he didn't date a poor girl.

Sasuke leaned his body closer to Hinata; he was having trouble with her cheek. He noticed her drawing of that Naruto guy on her canvas.

"U-uuhmm…" Hinata chewed her lips for a while then spoke. "P-please don't look at m-my canvas…Uchi-S-Sasuke..."

After she said that, she blocked his view by turning her body, with her back facing him.

Sasuke didn't know if he should feel happy or hurt when he found out that she didn't have any interest in him.

But it was better that way. After all, it would be much easier if she didn't have any feelings towards him. He was also sure that he wouldn't really 'look' at her. The girl truly wasn't his type, but she could give him benefits.

What an ideal pseudo-girlfriend.

Hiding a smile, Sasuke started to sketch. Being a prodigy he was, he just needed a few minutes to finish his drawing, but instead of giving it to Kurenai-sensei like he supposed to do, he gave the canvas to Hinata.

"For you." he said. Then he leaned closer to the girl and felt a little shudders from Hinata. He placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her trembling and whispered. "Don't forget to come." then he got up from his seat and exited the room, ignoring all the calls from both the pupils and Kurenai.

Hinata gawked at his action and slowly looked at his drawing, and how shocked she was when she saw that Sasuke had sketched her. The details were amazing, and somehow Hinata looked more beautiful on Sasuke's drawing with those curves in the right places (she felt a tremor ran to her spine when she saw it).He also shaded the sketch well and gave a touch of innocence in her expression. But what made Hinata blushed was a little note on the bottom.

**_"Hinata, come to the janitor's closet after school. We have to talk"_**

'Maybe he's still offended that I differentiated his eyes' was Hinata's first thought. 'Maybe he doesn't like how I keep ignoring him...'

Millions of other possibilities harassed her mind, as each idea more and more sadistic than the last. Hinata chewed her lip and almost shed a tear in her trepidation, 'Or maybe… maybe he.. wants to 'touch' me…!'

A few seconds later, the bell rang, indicating the school's dismissal.

Hinata wanted to cry.

Just how long did he intend to torment her?

**Chapter Two Ended**

****_thank you for reading _


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter three –The Esoteric Deal-**

Hinata couldn't help trembling as she walked to her locker. A few feet from there, she could see the Janitor's closet. And as always, it's closed. Typical, because there's a tacit agreement that it served as the place for the students to make out. No teacher would welcome the idea of having private sex-shows in school.

Thinking of those made her quivered. Sasuke just called her to come to the place when many girls on her age lost their virginity there.

She fiddled with her combination and opened her locker, then she put her books slowly. Hinata didn't want to go to the promised place quickly. If possible, she wanted to ignore him all together. But Hinata wasn't a girl who could nonchalantly disregard anything (especially a request from an albino with creepy red-eyes). Plus, she was so scared of the risk had she didn't come.

After she'd done arranging her books, she closed the door and swiveled on her heels…

-only to find a familiar guy with blue eyes was looking at her.

Naruto whistled. "You do ballet, Hinata?"

She could only gasp.

The blonde haired guy grinned at her then walked to his locker, which placed not too far from hers. He put his digit in and opened the door. Tossing his books inside the cabinet, he muttered to her.

"What a doom, eh? That bastard clings to you like an amoeba."

Naruto almost never talked to her, in fact, that was the first time Hinata had a _real _conversation with the blonde knight. She felt her cheeks were blazing as her heart almost exploded due to the overloaded nervousness. She licked her dry lips and replied:

"Y-yes…"

He slammed his locker shut, then put a hand on his hip, concentrating his weight on his right side. "Well… if you've have enough with him, you can always tell me." he said, still adopting his distinct foxy grin. "I'll smack his ass."

Hinata almost fainted.

Did he say that because he was concerned? Naruto? Concerned? Hinata? Jeez, what a set unfitting words she'd just made. But still, why did he say that to her? Did he intend to protect her from Sasuke? If he really meant so, then it really looked like the romance novel Hinata just read. A knight fighting with the bad guy for his princess…

Oh, no, no, no…

The scenario was too good for her.

"I… ano, N-Naruto-kun…" she licked her lips again. "T-thank you." then she remembered the incident at the first period when he shouted for _her_.

"N-Naruto-kun.. I-I'm sorry…"

Naruto cocked a quizzical eyebrow. "Huh?"

She pressed her index-fingers together as she tried to jog his memory. "Y-You… at the fi-first period… shouted at Sasuke… for—for me…"

He snorted as he picked up his orange basket ball. "Don't sweat it. I don't like him, after all. Five minutes, and already he makes a pass to Sakura," Naruto tossed her another grin then walked away. Probably to the gym. If Hinata's mind didn't deceit her, Naruto had basketball extracurricular on Thursdays.

As Hinata watched Naruto's retreating back, she could feel her heart sank.

So that's why he wanted to help her. Because he hated Sasuke. Nothing more, nothing less. She should have known it; Naruto only liked Sakura, and not her! She shouldn't let herself having delusions about Naruto actually liking her.

'_Woe is me…_' Hinata smiled weakly, then staggered to the closet.

When Hinata cautiously twisted the doorknob and peeked in a little, suddenly she heard a hoarse male voice boomed.

"Come in, fast."

She mustered power and had her chin high, then she walked in the closet. There she found two luminous red-orbs was staring at her, the owner of the eyes slouched in his chair, mouth clamped shut and fingers pressed at each other forcefully. When his eyes caught hers, a wry, quasi-smile curved on his lips.

"You come.." he breathed in relief.

Hinata turned green. She'd been to Konoha High's Janitor's closet a few times and indeed, the room was smaller and scarier than most rooms in the school. But having Sasuke with her in the same room somehow made her had a sudden claustrophobia. Especially his eyes were now radiating red-shines in the dark room.

"S-S-Sasuke…" Hinata quivered. "Why did.. why did y-you call me..?"

He sucked a breath almost abruptly, and for a second, Hinata saw him fazed. But then the anxiousness gone from his face and suddenly the usual cold expression replaced it when he blurted out. "Sakura throws a party this weekend."

"Oh… okay…" Hinata said even though she didn't know about it.

Sasuke waited in silence.

After a few seconds, Hinata just realized what he waited for. She tapped both her cheeks to punish her for becoming an idiot. Of course Sasuke wanted to ask her about Sakura's favorites, what else?

"O-oh.." she twitched her mouth to help herself thinking. "S-Sakura… Sakura likes any-anything pink.. and.. and she likes jewelries most…"

Sasuke winced. "I wasn't—"

Hinata cut him off. "Gomen Ss-suke… I-I don't know much about S-Sakra.." she was so afraid to see his wincing profile that her pronouncing abilities reduced into zero.

"Look." Sasuke said, then gestured her to be quiet and just listen to him. After he'd got the stride he continued. "I didn't, and won't give a damn to that girl. I was trying to ask _you_ out."

It was the first time Hinata got someone said that so directly that she practically struggled for air for a few minutes.

"W-What?.!" _Yeah, WHAT?_

Sasuke sat still and had his eyes fixed to her to confirm his request.

"B-but…" Hinata hesitated. If only there's someone who she'd willing to date, then it'd be Naruto! And Naruto wasn't a creepy man who always scared her away with his crazy demands and stalker-ish characteristics.

"I-..I- we… if we go t-together then…"

Sasuke's tone was devilish. "Then the girls would think that we're dating, right."

"But we…" the raven-haired girl gulped. "But we're not…"

He half-smiled. "We're not. It's just an act."

Now Hinata felt both her talking ability and IQ was dropping a point per second.

"B-but… don't.. I… y-you… dating?" Suddenly a flash of blonde haired guy with deep-blue eyes came to her mind and she uncharacteristically blurted out. "Naruto?.!"

He smirked. "Just as I expect. You _do_ like Naruto."

She blushed. "How did you…-h-how did you know…?"

Sasuke ignored her inquiry and stood up from his chair, then he approached her and even though she was backing away, he kept stepping forward to her. After Hinata was pinned on the wall, he dropped his body to kneel down in front of her. Very much like a guy who was going to propose his dreamgirl.

'_What would he do? What would he do? '_Hinata almost shed tears in fear when she hiccupped. "U-Uchiha …. Please—"

"Hinata Hyuuga." The guy merely cut her in. "Be my pseudo-girlfriend."

_What would he d—WHAT?.!_

_WHAT?.!_ "Pardon?"

"I'm tired." Was all Sasuke's reply. "I'm tired of all these. I'm tired having legions of girls following me whenever I go and in some unexpected times and places, stalked me. I'm tired to deal with all of them. And first of all, I'm tired having my mother always musing about me being gay."

If anything, Hinata burst out laughing. Sasuke's mom mused about her own son being a gay? Oh, my… but he did have potential being one. He didn't care about all those girls that fancied him, heck; even he didn't give a damn to the most desirable women in Konoha High.

In all honestly, Hinata also believed that he was homosexual. Bisexual top.

Realizing Sasuke was still looking at her when she was laughing _at him_ made Hinata gasped and stopped her laugh immediately.

She bowed deeply to him apologetically. "Sorry.. s-sorry, Uchi-Uchiha-san…"

"I don't mind." He took another step closer, and Hinata saw the big difference on their height. Now that Sasuke was only a few inches away from her (their chests barely touched! What do she do?.!) and with her petite body, Hinata couldn't go anywhere unless the albino let her to.

"Uchiha …please.. p-please let me go…"

Seemed he didn't want to. He embedded a hand beside her temple and leaned down to whisper. "What's your answer?"

To feel his closeness and his breath was tickling her neck, Hinata almost wanted to scream. This guy.. this guy was unbelievable! And an ultimate pusher too! She didn't like him.. she _so_ didn't like him…

_No…_

"I-…I.."

_No, I don' want to._

He put another hand again, making a soft sound of 'thump' when he embedded it to the wall beside her other temple. "Say yes. _Please_ say yes." He demanded quietly.

_No, I won't… no I won't…_

Hinata glanced up and yelped to see his red-eyes glowed even shiner than ever. But when she studied it, for a moment she could see weariness in it.

A second there she almost say 'yes'—

But-

_No way, Uchiha-san!_

"..Hinata…"

_No, no, no, no, NO!_

"Yes."

Oh, no…

The silence started to linger between those two.

And before Hinata had chance to digest anything, she saw Sasuke's whitish nape and a strange feeling of warmth wrapped her body. A second later, she realized that the albino had pulled her into a hug.

It wasn't like all the hugs she'd dreamt every night. It was bone-crushing, especially when Sasuke's was too big to her small form and his arms practically curled her body completely. The warmth also wasn't the same as she'd expected, Sasuke's body temperature was more to hot and sweaty. He must be also nervous when he waited for her answer.

Sasuke smelled like a peppermint. For a second, Hinata almost drowned to the hug, before she realized what just had happened.

Why did she say yes?.! She'd been planting 'no' words in her brain, but her mouth betrayed her! It's always like that, she never had courage to say anything she'd meant and ended up trying to please everyone.

But this one was a big deal.

'_Okay, Hinata! You could do it!'_ she drew a long breath and opened her mouth several times to deny what she had said. It was low, but she didn't have any other option, she really didn't want having Sasuke as a boyfriend. Even a fake one.

"Uchiha-san.."

"Thank you, thank you." Sasuke whispered, hugging her tighter. "Thank you very much, Hinata…"

She couldn't say anything, nor did she have heart to break his glee.

"So, we're only pretending that we're dating at school and my house." Sasuke instructed and it followed by Hinata's nod. He saw her stiffed uncomfortably and pursed his lips.

"Just three months, Hinata." Sasuke said. "Or after my mother's convinced that I'm straight."

"A-Are you?"

Sasuke raised a brow. "Pardon?"

"Are you…I-I mean…" Hinata pressed her fingers in front of her chest. "Are you… s-straight?"

He twitched his mouth. "You _really _interested?"

She quickly shook her head hard, deep blush appeared on her cheeks, but Sasuke knew it wasn't from him, it was from her own embarrassment.

"Good. Better be, cause it'll be hard to pretend if you're in love with me." he said.

The girl submissively nodded.

"I won't love you either." He continued, still maintaining that notorious poker-face of him. "I'm gay."

Hinata's eyes widened and Sasuke snorted a short chuckle.

"I was kidding." He slouched deeper in his chair and raised his red-eyes to meet hers. Now his voice was cold again. "You always look scared."

She twitched her mouth a few times, and finally succeeded to toss him a smile. Sasuke appreciated her attempt to alleviate him, but then sighed in dismay when he noticed that her smile was tremulous.

"You don't need to smile if you don't want to." He told her. "It's infuriating."

Again, she nodded and fidgeted, like always. Sasuke sort of happy inside, the girl remained untouched with their relationship. In fact, she still kept the distance between them, which he recommended. But still he didn't like the fact that he always scared the girl off.

The silence was beginning to fall again when Hinata raised her voice.

"U-Uchiha … how about… how about Naruto?"

There was no inflection in his tone. "I'd been thinking about that too." Then he gave her a lopsided smirk as he continued. "After three months, you could pretend that you dumped me. It'll raise your popularity and I'm sure Naruto would notice you that way."

She murmured something he'd considered as an understanding, then shut her mouth again. But something artificial in her gestures made Sasuke thought that Hinata still had something to talk. So he waited.

And waited—

But still she said nothing.

He exhaled sharply. "Just say it."

She flinched, and much to his relief, she obeyed him.

"… would you.. a-after three months…" she swallowed, then raised her hand to wipe her sweated forehead. "… s-stay away… stay away f-from me..?"

"Why?"

Instead of answering, Hinata only bent her head down and played with her fingers.

It hurt his vanity a bit, but he nodded nonetheless. "No prob."

She seemed to look relieved by his answer and put a hand on her chest while sighing. A small smile appeared on her lips. "T-Thank you… Uchiha …"

He gave her a look. "I hope you call me Sasuke in public."

That's when they heard someone knocked the door, a girl voice followed it shortly.

"Sasuke? I heard that you came here just now. Are you there?"

"K-Kin!" Hinata exclaimed before Sasuke's hand darted on her lips, avoiding it to speak anymore words.

Kin looked enraged to hear a girl's voice with _her _Sasuke-kun and knocked louder. Sasukeeeeeeeeeee? Answer me…"

"Our first show." Sasuke announced softly to her ear, and Hinata nodded.

He shut his eyes for a second, then bit his lips hard until it bruised a bit, then ruffled his hair wildly and creased his clothes. But Hinata stood still beside him.

"Bit your lips." he commanded her. "Hard."

She hesitated, but then she bit it. After a moment, she released her teeth from her lips, Sasuke angled his head in satisfaction when she saw her mouth reddened. Then he leaned to her and put a hand on her shoulder, his other hand was tracing her neck.

"This may hurt a little." He said, then pinched her neck.

Hinata squeaked, and Kin's voice became louder.

Sasuke smirked when he saw a red-bluish mark on her neck. Then he apologized again before he took off Hinata's jacket, but then gaped a sec when he saw the most curvaceous body he ever seen. He shook his head and tucked some hair into her ear so the mark was noticed.

"You ready?"

"Yes."

"Pretend we've just made out." He instructed while twisting the doorknob. "Don't forget to call me lovingly."

She nodded as another blush came to her cheeks. "O-okay.."

"Okay what?"

"S-Sasuke…"

A smile was plastered on his lips as he inhaled the air then opened the door, and found a very furious Kin was before it.

The brunette girl looked happy when she saw him and smiled flirtatiously (it made Sasuke winced). "Wha, Sasuke..! What're you doing there?"

Sasuke gloated inwardly when he hugged Hinata tighter on his side, then said. "Made out."

He quickly caressed her shoulder to settle her shaking body down.

"Do it." he whispered when he pretended to kiss her temple.

Even Sasuke could hear Hinata's gulp before she began to say. "Sasuke's.. Sasuke's my boyfriend now."

Life is beautiful…

He saw Kin gawked like a cow, then her shoulder slumped and her wig dropped down to the floor. Only this time she didn't quickly ran away but just .. gawked.

Hinata's shaking became harder and Sasuke decided that it was time to draw back, he said his goodbyes to the long haired girl and lead Hinata to the parking lot. He drove her home and didn't say anything except a simple 'thanks'.

Hinata guided him to her house and when they'd arrived, she quickly bowed and raised her hand for a goodbye salute, then quickly strode to her bedroom.

"Hinata?" Hanabi, Hinata's younger sister looked confused to see her sister's blushing face. It was unusual for Hinata to come home late. Moreover, with a redface, too.

She only smiled to her sister then walked in to her room, after making sure no one would see her, she buried her face in her hands.

What had she just done?

**Chapter three ended.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four –The Gauche Reunion -**

Never in her life had Hinata felt this naked.

She just stepped one foot to the hall, and already all eyes were on her. Both boys and girls, freshmen until seniors, everyone was looking at her. Most of them searched for her neck, where they thought Sasuke had marked her there. The reddish bruise was still there, but lucky Hinata, she had armed herself. She wrapped a scarf around her neck so the pseudo-hickey was covered.

But somehow Hinata also had thought that they were searching for her neck so they could strangle her, or better, decapitate her.

And the though sent quiver to her spine.

As if the event weren't chaotic enough, her 'boyfriend' made it worse. He approached her when Hinata was taking her books from her locker. His action obviously drew angry hisses from some group of girls.

"Hey, babe." He called, voice loud enough for people in 2 metre radius oculd hear.

"Hey.." she replied softly, she was too afraid to draw even more attention.

Hinata expected Sasuke to just walk pass her, but it seemed that it'd never happen. He leaned on the locker beside her, his eyes fixed on her. Then he did nothing for a long time aside from drumming his foot on the floor continuously, as if he was waiting.

"Wh-what are you d-doing?" Hinata asked before she had chance to stop herself.

His orbs rolled. "Waiting for my girlfriend, of course." Sasuke didn't notice Hinata's sudden blush and continued coolly. "That's what boyfriends do, right?"

Not trusting her voice, Hinata only nodded.

A long, awkward pause lingered in the air for a while before he spoke again "The result for our little acting yesterday is impressive." A ghost of smile appeared on his lips as he glanced at the waffling girls near them. "Most of them have known about us."

Hinata also smiled rather forcibly. "K-Kin's… a good g-g-gossiper.."

For a moment there, Sasuke pursed his lips then tilted his head down, after exhaling sharply for a few times he hissed. "I told you to not smile if you don't want to."

Her lower lip caught between her teeth as she fidgeted.

"Sorry." She said.

Sasuke didn't reply.

Hinata couldn't help lowering her head more. She'd never good at having conversations, but having a mere talk with this particular guy made her inability seemed even poorer than the usual. From her corner eye, she could see Sasuke was still beside her, and worse, he was looking at her. No one ever looked at her more than ten seconds, and the fact that Sasuke had been watching her for more than thirty seconds distracted her badly. It made her took a lot longer time fumbling in front of her locker.

Sasuke finally couldn't take it anymore and sighed. "Did you lose your books or what? What makes you so long?"

Surprised, Hinata quickly took any book that was in her reach and slammed the locker shut. "I'm done..!"

He surveyed her for a second before he briskly took her hand and drag her into a fast-walk.

"What'll you have in your next period?" he said without looking.

"Uuugggh… g-geography.." she hesitated, especially after seeing their linked hands. His hand was so big it enclosed hers almost completely. Truth to be told, for a second or two there she felt protected, especially the fact that Sasuke walked in front of her and practically used his broad back to avoid her from stumbling into some big guys. But when they passed Sakura and her girl friends, the protections seemed evaporated as Hinata heard whispers from the pink haired girl's glossy mouth.

It was ironic, Sakura always had expensive and exclusive lipsticks applied on her mouth, but still she wasn't capable on whispering anything good; and in this point, somehow Hinata felt that the pink-haired girl was badmouthing her exceptionally badly. Of course, because the least girl Sakura expected had snatched away the most desirable guy she'd been expected.

Hinata looked at Sasuke, hoping for him to give her some reassuring words, but he seemed untouched by Sakura's presence. He was looking at his schedule instead. He might be looked grim at most times, but there were times when he was so composed and ignorant. And somehow nearly all eons when Sasuke was in his 'cool-cool' term were the bad-timing ones.

Like this.

"Good, mine's geography too." He said shortly and fastened his walk.

They reached the class and Sasuke chose the seats on the very back for both of them. He didn't ask for Hinata's permission and just stuffed her beside him. Currently feeling both half-pissed and ungenerous, she wanted to protest, but right when she was preparing the words, Prof Anko broke into the class. She was curvaceous, had average-height, and one of the youngest teacher Konoha High ever had, but the class watched her in horror as the teacher made her helluva entrance.

She strutted into her desk and tapped her hard-covered books several times into it, making a loud sound so that the students' attentions were completely for her.

"I hope everyone brings their textbooks, because we'll have an open-book quiz." She announced, and the bad news got greeted by cries of dismay from the youngsters.

Hinata didn't participate in the class' cry, she actually had a half-smile on her lips when she groped her bag. Geography was one of her favorite subject, she aced the lesson somehow. But even after a few times browsing her bag, she still couldn't find her textbook. She hung the bag upside down and let her books fell down to her table.

And still she couldn't find it.

Sweat came to her face as she started to panic. She just remembered that she took any book she found when she was before her locker. Maybe the book she took wasn't Geography.

Had God gifted her with crude mouth, she'll be cursing right now. But unfortunately, crude-mouthed she was not.

Hinata took a glance to the purple-haired woman, she was tapping her fingers to the table, waiting for everyone to take out their books. When her opaque eyes browsed the class, she found out that she was the only one who hadn't had the book on her table. Hinata swallowed, she once had seen what Anko Mitarashi could do if she finds student who doesn't do what she says, and things that the teacher would do were certainly UN-nice.

Sasuke surprisingly seemed to notice her panic and leaned over.

"What happened?" he wanted to know.

Hinata didn't know if telling that to Sasuke was the best thing to do. She spent five seconds nibbled on her quivering lower lip before she finally answered:

"I-I mistook my b-book.."

His perfectly lined eyebrow rose as he digested her words. Shortly thereafter, he swept his eyelashes down as a respond, sighing deeply as he shook his head slightly. Both amusement and pity crept to his face.

"Jeez.." he breathed. "You're clumsy."

Hinata only could fidget.

Another deep sigh from the albino, and she barely saw his pale hand went to her table, giving her his textbook.

His tone was still as flat as ever. "Use it. It was my fault anyway."

She gaped at him, not knowing how to respond it. She wanted to give it back to him, but that's mean she'd threw herself into a sea with sharks. Her family wouldn't like it if they knew their heiress actually had detention because of such a simple task. But if she didn't give it back to him, that's mean she'd taking advantage of his generosity, and it would make guilt feelings rampantly ravaging her mind. She didn't like the outcome for the option two either.

"Uchiha..Uchiha-san..?" that's all she could manage to say.

There was faint smile appeared fleetly on his lips when he gave her a lopsided glance. But this smile was different; it almost made him looked more beautiful than Naruto. Then just abruptly, he rose from his seat, enticing everyone's attention to him. After he'd got the stride, he sucked a breath and declared loudly.

"I didn't bring my book, Professor."

There were some gasps came from the girls' mouth.

Prof. Anko stood still in her place, studying the new student's face before she yelled that he would have a three hours detention in library and wouldn't attend her class twice. Hinata saw Sasuke's eyes got dominated with red-color again; she actually had qualms Sasuke would go berserk, then the class would be in an apocalypse. But he only nodded and walked out the door submissively.

After he slammed the door shut, the teacher hit the white-board hard. "Who else didn't bring the book?.!"

A long pause lingered in the air before—

"Professor!" A soft voice came from the very back.

Hinata stood and had her eyes locked straight on the older woman's. Her body was trembling when she spoke:

"I-I d-d-didn't bring my my book either!"

'_I really am an idiot..'_

"You really are an idiot." Were Sasuke's first words when he saw his 'girlfriend' entered the library. He tried to keep his countenance cool, but the smile kept creeping up to his lips, it took him every ounce of his willpower to suppress the smile. Usually, normal people would only use his book and then smile a simple thanks. This girl had proven herself anomalous by trying to throw herself to the same boat he was in.

He appreciated it.

The librarian told them not to talk anymore, Hinata obeyed the skank by promptly shut her mouth and approached him. But she stumbled upon a fallen book and flew upfront, he took advantage of his reflex to catch her before her lithe body met by the icy floor, and before she could toss him any 'thanks' he had spoken first:

"-And extremely clumsy too."

"You're…" Hinata shifted her weight on his arms as blush suffused on her cheek. "You're not t-the first p-person to tell me t-that.."

Finally he couldn't take it anymore and let a smile escaped his mouth.

"Thank you." He said. "For being in my company."

Her blush deepened. "I.." she halted. "T-thank you too."

The faint smile was still attached on Sasuke's lips when he released her from his hold; he was uncharacteristically amused with her stuttering and hesitated words. "Normal people would say 'you're welcome'." He paused as a mischief glint came to his eyes. "And normal girlfriends would kiss my lips"

And as he expected, now the blush had reached her ears.

"B-but.. Uchiha-san!"

He saw a look of disapproval as if she tried to deny that she was his girlfriend. And just suddenly, his temper flared despite his earlier good mood.

"Do you dislike me that much?" before he knew he had spoken it.

His demand was followed by a flinch from the petite girl.

"U-Uchiha-san.."

Sasuke blew air to his bangs. Feeling ridiculous.

"Stupid question. You're absolutely disgusted with me." he flung his arms into the air and cursed under his breath. That girl had been looked uncomfortable when he's around since the first place. He almost forgot that he wasn't like any people. His pupils were red and the skin was abnormally pale, he should have known that not every people would accept him that way. Heck, he even doubted he would have any friends if he didn't come from the Uchiha family and he wasn't good-looking.

She was working on her mouth several times, trying to speak something, but he had interrupted her first. "When will you 'dump' me? If possible, do it in front of that loud-blonde."

"No.." she said softly. He just was about to explode when she quickly added. "I-I mean.. n-no.. I-I'm not disgusted with y-you.. and.. and.. I w-won't dump you.." she gulped and fidgeted again. "I-I mean… at least.. not now…."

Her words made Sasuke's eyes widened.

"I-I just.. kinda afraid of you. You.. always look mad.." she expanded her enlightenment. "And…"

A glance to his eyes explained everything.

"I have red- colored eyes." Sasuke finished for her.

She nodded apprehensively.

"Well.." it hurt him a bit but he still could manage it. Beside, the girl didn't try to offend him intentionally. She actually tried to hide her anxiousness and that was the most important thing. "I'm wearing **black** colored contact, aren't I?"

"Yes.." she said anxiously.

His smile was rueful. "But you still don't like it and want me to stay away from you?"

There was a long pause.

"When will you two start to work?.! Stop chatting and rearrange the books, understood?.!" finally the librarian broke the awkward silence.

"Crystal clear." Sasuke answered.

He took a quick glance to the girl beside her before he inhaled sharply and began to work.

After they'd done with their detention, they still had three periods. Strange, Sasuke didn't stick with her when she walked to the Spanish class. He even gazed at the empty chair beside Hinata's first before he –rather hesitantly- sat down.

"Ne, Sasuke-kun!" Ino called from the middle of the class. "I can't speak Spanish, please help me with this book!" she screeched to Sasuke while waving a Spanish language novel.

Hinata knew it was wrong to think about it, but she kind of expecting Sasuke to just yell to Ino and ignored the blonde. Besides, those were things he did –to the girls- yesterday, right?

However, the expectations didn't come true. Sasuke got up from his chair and took his bag, then he sat next to Ino. Even though he didn't let the blonde to touch him, but he let her to had only a few inches gap between them.

Now that was super strange.

Hinata didn't know if she had to feel happy or guilty for that. In one side, she felt relieved she didn't need to see his grim-looking face all the time, but in the other side, she felt guilt for saying those nasty things to him. Now for the remaining school-time, Sasuke never went any nearer than three meters from her.

He wasn't a bad guy, she knew. Sometimes she saw him walking three meters behind her, and shot any girls that tried to snap Hinata his infamous dagger glare. Even sometimes Sasuke walk before her and made the way through for her. It made her bit her lip in guilt to see that Sasuke was acting very sweet. He even offered himself to drive her home; after all she had done to him.

Thus, while he was driving her home, she intended to apologize.

"U-Uchiha-san.."

He didn't look to her and kept his eyes locked to the street. "Hn?"

"I… umm.." just suddenly, the words she'd arranged evaporated from her mind. "I just… said… I mean… I—want to… uhh, offended you…-"

Sasuke stopped the car and looked at her. After a while, and after Hinata's words became more and more illegible, he put a hand on her shoulder as a gesture to stop.

"Hold your breath, strengthen your feet, and had your chin high. Then spit it out fast. The method always works for me." he instructed.

She held her breath, and balled her fists, but when she tried to speak again, her words were still cluttered. His hand rose and it cautiously came to her chin, gingerly lifting Hinata's chin up so their gazes were in same level.

"Now say it." He ordered.

Despite she felt chaotic to feel his fingers, she said it well. "I'm sorry I said those to you in the library."

She felt a weird combination of peculiarity and proud to hear that her words weren't shaky when she said that.

He raised a brow as his hand curled into the steer again. "Apology accepted." He said shortly and began to drive again.

"U-Uchiha-san, wait!" she grabbed his shoulder and shook him, although it didn't make him shake due to massive weight and height difference between them.

He stopped his car again then leaned his head on the steer. "What again?"

"I-I meant it!" she cried. "I'm r-really.. sorry.."

His long, heavy eyelashes swept down slightly. "Oh. Good."

Even though his tone was still like the usual Sasuke she'd known, his expression was slightly colder than usual that it still didn't pacify her. So she tried again.

"Uchiha-san..?" Sasuke didn't answered and only look at her. Hinata took it as a 'continue' and spoke again.

"Would you… t-tomorrow.. sit beside me again?"

Instead of answering, he only looked at her. His black-reddish eyes were wide, and the pinkish mouth parted.

"T-that's what boy-boyfriends do, right?" the words flew before Hinata could think.

She couldn't believe she just said that.

For a moment, Sasuke seemed utterly gobsmacked with what she had said. Then he started the engine and rode even faster than before.

"Sure." He said.

Against her will, Hinata smiled.

It was a good feeling.

They reached Hinata's house a few minutes later, this time, Sasuke came with her until the little porch, since Hinata insisted Sasuke to have a little snack in her house. She rang her doorbell and waited.

It didn't take a long time before the door opened.

But what's inside the door made Hinata gasped.

A guy, tall, fairly-pale, and white-eyed was standing before it. His hair was long and drew back into a loose pigtail, and there were bandages wrapped around his left arm.

"Neji-nii!" Hinata cried out.

That was right, it was her bodyguard. He was standing unsteadily on his place; glints of happiness were in his eyes when he saw her. But when his eyes accidentally strayed to the other guy next to her, it became sharp and just suddenly, a few veins popped out around those.

O'o..

He concentrated his eyes-power to throe dagger glares to Sasuke, as if telling the younger guy who's the boss. His mouth twitched for a few times before he opened it to speak:

"May I know who is this guy, Hinata-san?" his noble accent was still there, but there was no longer gentleness in his voice, it was uncharacteristically cold and deep.

It wasn't good to hear that …

Most guys would undergo a temporary mental-confidence-disorder just by hearing Neji's intimidating voice, and learning from experience, Hinata knew after they see Neji's muscles, it only took a few seconds to for them go to the fazing phase, then the fidgeting phase and finally, the running away for life phase.

But unfortunately, Sasuke's massive loads of testosterone hormones made him didn't get intimidated easily." Tell me your name first." He demanded.

**So** wasn't good to hear that…

Black-reddish eyes and opaque-white eyes showed their goodness in nerve-racking on an impromptu glaring-contest before a nasal sound of snorts came from the white-eyed one.

"I am Neji." He said proudly, seemed really sure that the raven-haired bastard wouldn't mean anything to his dear lady. "Neji Hyuuga, it is my honorable duty to be Hinata-san's bodyguard."

"_Bodyguard, _huh?" Sasuke said, a mocking-smirk was adopted in his lips when he –rather intentionally- slung an arm around Hinata's shoulder, drawing her closer to him. Oh, Christ.. it was the first time Hinata had a guy this near and _intimate_ with her.. and worse, the guy wasn't Naruto…

It wasn't good to feel this…

"I am Sasuke." the raven-haired guy announced, his triumph was obvious when he –much to Neji's horror- rested his filthy chin to Hinata's head and continued: "Sasuke Uchiha, it is my honorable _pleasure_ to be your Hinata-san's **_boyfriend_**_._" He finished, his accent insolently oozed Neji's.

If only Sasuke's arms didn't support her, Hinata would likely collapse.

It appeared that Sasuke realized Hinata's sudden failing, and now he had both his arms around her shoulder, hugged her to his chest tightly. It gave him double benefit, because aside from he could avoid the girl from collapsing, he also could drew even more veins to pop out around that Neji guy's eyes.

Sasuke's expectations came true, Neji's nostril flared as he tried to kept his countenance. He failed miserably by having both his cheek red due to anger, but he managed to kept his voice cool and steady: "Come on in, Hinata-san.. _Uchiha_-san.."

The Uchiha heir half-shrugged then, still having Hinata in his arms, strutted in.

Hinata thought she saw homicidal intentions in her cousin's expression when her eyes dropped to him. And when she looked up at Sasuke, she also thought she saw the identical expression.

Somehow she felt this would go disastrous..

**Chapter four ended**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five –The Battle Redux-**

This moment, Hinata decided, was the longest ten minutes she ever experienced.

There she was, scarifying her virgin body to sit among two of the most inscrutable guys ever, witnessing all the lethal glares and unspoken death threats that her most beloved cousin and her first 'boyfriend' had threw to each other. Of course, confusion dominated her feeling; she really didn't know why both guys didn't like each other. For God's sake, both of them just met a few minutes ago!

Had Hinata knew one of the reasons was her; she must had fainted by now.

Fortunately, she had no idea about it.

"So…" Neji began (much to Hinata's relief); he let an ominous feeling lingered in the air, making Hinata felt even more catastrophic then ever. Strange, when she glanced at the pale guy beside her, she didn't see any anxiousness in Sasuke's face. If anything, the look on his face only showed either jubilance or pure-triumph.

Neji coughed when he realized his trick didn't bring Sasuke to faze, and continued his state. "So, may I know when exactly the two of you going out?"

"Oh, two days ago, when I was transferred to Konoha high." Sasuke said, his smirk got wider as the words flew from his mouth smoothly. "Fifty two and twenty four minutes ago to be exact. Right babe?" he tossed her a smile Hinata considered almost as charming as Naruto's.

_Almost_, remember that.

She had to admit Sasuke was a whiz when it comes to lying and acting.

However, Neji wasn't one who could be convinced that easily. He turned his gaze to Hinata and asked. "Was the statement true, Hinata-san?"

At the same time, Sasuke bent down to her and rubbed his nose against her temple in order to conceal his whispering to her ear. "Do me a favor." He said very quietly, his tone did the pleading so well that Hinata didn't have heart to reject his request.

"I-it.. it was true.. Neji..." Hinata said.

A look of deep-disapproval spread on Neji's face as the respond.

Sasuke took the chance to take Hinata's hand and intertwine their fingers, casting more attacks to Neji's sense. And when Neji finally broke his usual icy countenance and had his veins suffused on his skin, Sasuke said this as the final blow:

"Satisfied, bodyguard-in-law?"

They said silence was golden.

Now, for the first time, Hinata believed it. Sasuke's last sentence would likely bring an apocalypse under this roof.

Surprisingly, Neji didn't reply and just stood from his seat. "Please excuse me, Hinata-san. I need to go to the kitchen right now." He announced then without waiting for any responds, stormed off nowhere, arguably to the aforementioned place.

Drowned into such an awkward situation, Hinata only could sigh.

She contemplated to go to the kitchen too, but when she was about to get up, Sasuke already had his hand circled around her wrist.

"Is that guy really your cousin?" he asked. "You sure nobody tricked you and disguised himself as Neji?"

Hinata blinked. And blinked again.

Sasuke sighed impatiently and repeated his question.

She stiffed uncomfortably on her foot and answered softly. "Y-yes.. he's my c-cousin… and, and… I-I'm very sure of that.."

And a simple "Oh." was Sasuke's reply. But he still didn't let Hinata go and tightened his grip, his eyes never leave her face, making her felt as if she was naked with his gazes.

She gulped a few times before she could ask. "I-Is there anything in.. in my f-face, Uchiha-s-san?"

He looked embarrassed for a sec, then quickly shook his head. Two imperceptible blushes were on both his cheeks when he replied. "Nothing. You two just…"

"Y-yes?"

"Well.." he ran a hand onto his hair, scratching his head. It was the first time Hinata saw Sasuke looked so uncomfortable that it urged her to know his reason.

A strange curve looked like a smile went to his lips as he –rather absent-mindedly- said. "You're quiet, fragile, sensitive, and well…" another small blush covered on his skin. "Cute." He saw Hinata's eyes got widen and quickly changed the subject. "And Neji… Neji's just plain.."

His eyes accidentally strayed to the wall before the kitchen, and he saw Neji was peeking from it. Neji's eyes, however, despite the lack of colors, looked as if they were flaming in fire.

"-Perilous." Sasuke instantaneously said. Then he looked up to her and nodded as a lopsided smirk spread. "Let just say you two are entirely different."

Though Hinata didn't really agreed with Sasuke's opinion, his expression was so hilarious when he said that, she found herself giggling after hearing it. There were quite many people said Neji and she were entirely different too, but their reasons were also entirely different from this guy's. Most of them said Neji was too beautiful to be Hinata's sibling.

Hinata knew she cherished Sasuke's reason.

"You're.." she had hard time composing herself while his words still tickled her. "You're.. mean.."

He snorted. "I despise him."

"I-I think… everybody c-could see that…" she let a smile plastered on her lips. "Y-you really s-show your hatred…"

She halted for a sec before she continued. "I.. I never could do it."

He tilted his head. "Do what?"

"S-s-showing.. my true feeling." She said meticulously. "I-I don't h-have enough cou-courage to do that…"

He released her hand and also stood. And since Hinata was at least a head shorter than him, it made her afraid to see him standing right before her. Her anxiousness became worse as she saw he outreached. She clenched her eyes shut, not daring to think what he was gonna do to her.

But he only put a hand on both of her shoulders. His voice came shortly afterwards.

"I think I've told you." he pushed her shoulders gently until her back was straightened. "Hold your breath, strengthen your feet, and had your chin high whenever you talk. " he said as he removed a hand, only to locate it again under her chin, lifting it up, so she had to look at him straight in face.

"Like this." He finished, unintentionally leaning closer to her.

He was too close to her approval, and she tried to slide her eyes away from him. Strange, she couldn't do it, it was surprisingly hard to avoid his gazes, they were so intent. His orbs looked really dark, almost black, and she liked seeing those.

"Got it?" his voice rang in her ears, but she couldn't get her eyes off his face.

They were so—

"-Beautiful.." before she had chance to stop it, she had spoken it. And no matter how hard she prevented herself from stating the continuation, she didn't succeeded.

"You're so beautiful." She blurted out.

A pause arised as both of them widening their eyes.

"D-did I just say that?" even more unexpected words flew from Hinata's mouth.

Instead of answering, Sasuke laughed. Loudly. Ten seconds, twenty seconds, thirty seconds, and still laughing even after the fiftieth second.

Meanwhile, Hinata didn't know what to do nor to say, she had been considered Sasuke as an epitome of eerie beauty, but when he laughed, he looked really boyish, nearing to the point of cute. His whole face lit up and his eyes lost most of their despondent, for a moment there everyone would guess that Sasuke was a cheerful guy.

But for Hinata, however, his laugh only put in more addition to her embarrassment.

"I-I… maybe Ne-Neji is is w-waiting me…" she stammered, then quickly made her way to the kitchen. But Sasuke was quicker; he lunged and grabbed her arm.

"I'm not letting you. You just gave me the nicest compliment." He bit his lower lip to prevent himself from smiling any longer. "Although I prefer to be called handsome."

"U-Uchiha!" Hinata almost yelled. She knew she was blushing, if not turning green.

He didn't hear her. "And you didn't stammer when you said that. Is 'beautiful' your personal opinion of me?"

"Uchiha!"

He stopped just immediately. "Yes?"

"I—I really.. really n-need to go..!" and before he could respond or tease her again, she had released herself from him, and quickly ran to the kitchen.

Neji was waiting for her when she arrived. His face only showed anger.

"Did he do anything inappropriate to you, Hinata?"

Afraid to the qualms that she would blurt out something embarrassing like she'd done again, Hinata only shook her head.

Neji grounded his teeth, had albino guy wasn't Hinata's boyfriend; he must had gone kicking that bastard's ass. He wouldn't let even any guy made his Lady hyperventilated like that and get away with it.

Especially if the guy was an Uchiha.

Neji had heard many gossips about the Uchiha family. And those weren't good things. Fugaku Uchiha and Mikoto Uchiha were divorced. And their first son, Itachi Uchiha, albeit his strikingly perfect scores and GPA, was an overly stuck-up guy who had to go to numerous therapists. Neji remembered there were also rumors about the youngest son too, about Sasuke Uchiha being a breathtakingly handsome albino.

And from now on Neji would add a note that aside from Sasuke's albinism, he was also a bastard.

From his corner eye, Neji saw Hinata's hyperventilating slowly changed into a vague smile, and it didn't took a long time before her smile turned out to be some suppressed giggles.

Neji thought he heard her saying 'Uchiha so funny..'

'Correction.' Neji said to himself

Man-whore bastard. Note that. Sasuke was an albino man-whore bastard.

"I despise him." He mumbled.

The next day, Neji found his hatred towards the young Uchiha blossomed as he saw the damned raven-haired guy had occurred sacrilege to his chair in the worst way.

The Uchiha guy was sitting on HIS chair! He was sticking his wicked ass onto HIS chair, his sacred chair!

Very sagacious, the nerve of him.

Oh, Neji _so _wouldn't want to put his butt in that chair anymore.

But he had an obligation to protect his Lady from anything wicked. So, it was his sad duty to curb his pride and kick away that filthy guy from his seat, in order to get his chair back.

But even thinking about his butt would share a same chair with the Uchiha's butt already made him shudder greatly.

….

So much for doing an obligation.

"Neji-nii…?" Hinata's voice came from his back; her soft hand gingerly touched his wrist as she told him.

"I'm really, really sorry… but I have promised Uchi-S-Sasuke that.. he would sit in there today…." she pressed her forefingers together, and after saw Neji's looks changed into disgust, Hinata hurriedly continued.

"Y-You can sit in my place…if y-you want to…"

Neji quickly shook his head. "It is fine with me, Hinata . Sometimes floor could be used as a substitute for both chair and table."

"But Neji-nii!"

"You expect him to be there, Hinata-san." He bowed a little. "And that is an enough reason for me."

He said an excuse to her, and put his bag on the empty floor beside Hinata's seat, sure, his action drew a titter from the younger guy, but he tried his best to ignore him. It was Hinata's wish to have Sasuke in her side, and he couldn't do anything about it.

'Damn fate..' he swore under his breath before he took out his books to begin rereading it.

"Oh, my God, Neji!" Ino Yamanaka cried out as she came over to kneel beside him. "You really resemble Cinderella!"

And "Shut up." was all Neji's respond.

Hinata couldn't help looking at her cousin. He looked really pitiful sitting on the floor like that, but she couldn't do anything about it. She drew a deep breath, then sat next to Sasuke. He quickly bent down and whispered.

"I thought you rather had him to be here than me."

"Y-Yesterday… I..I asked you t-to sit beside me…"

"And?"

She didn't dare to look up, for her face was as red as tomatoes. "You.. you said 'sure'.."

Sasuke raised a brow. But then his lips made a strange curve looked like a smile, before he tapped her upper arm slightly.

"You're an Idiot, a Clumsy,… and a Weirdo."

Hinata was about to crack a smile when Neji suddenly already on his feet.

"You know nothing about her, Uchiha. Hinata isn't any of those!" his voice was calm, yet it was cold. One of the rarest things Neji Hyuuga had ever done. Hinata felt a tremor came up to her spine hearing that, the last time Neji spoke like that was when they were seven, and someone tried to kidnap her. And the older guy ended up beaten off by the eight-year old Neji.

Sasuke sighed very deeply. "Look, Neji—"

"—Never, never dare yourself addressing me with my first name." Neji cut off. "I do not approve it."

Sasuke's face became scary as his mouth twitched a few times. Hinata clearly could see his originally red-eyes were flaming, before he shut them to regain his patience. He took a deep, slow breathes as he counted fro one to ten, and after he done, his face looked much composed.

However, his tone was still mocking as ever. "Okay, Hyuuga. Happy now?" he spat.

Neji snorted loudly. "I can not say I am. Not if I see you as Hinata-san's first boyfriend."

Those words pissed Sasuke off.

Big time.

"Damn you!" Sasuke shouted on top of his lungs, even much louder than his usual yells. Hinata jumped in shock and quickly fidgeted in her chair, she was too afraid to make any move, especially after she saw the situation when she was trapped in two infuriated guys.

"U-Uchiha.."

Sasuke ignored her.

Neji noticed it. "Hinata just called you."

"What the fuck I did wrong, anyway?" Sasuke's shouts became even louder that it attracted attention. Now they had people watching them.

Neji didn't answer Sasuke's question, instead, he went to Hinata's place to sling his arms around her shoulders, trying to sooth her.

"You should not yell in front of Hinata-san, Uchiha." He said, his face was still stoic. "She doesn't like loud sounds."

Sasuke growled in a surprisingly canine voice. He hated being told what to do. He especially hated to see that he didn't know his 'girlfriend' enough. Then, with a dramatic scream, he leapt to Neji and started to wrest with him. Thank God, Neji had released Hinata by the time Sasuke's hands grabbed his collar so the girl didn't get dragged along. But still, their fight was perturbing, although some people found it exciting.

"Stop, stop!" Hinata tried to separate the fighting guys, but alas, she couldn't do it. Strange, it seemed that she was the only one who looked concerned with them. The others were surprisingly looked excited seeing the fight, even she saw some guys made a bet.

God, she hated this.

A few minutes later, there were some blood squirts on the floor, they were already bleeding. Hinata's voice had gone hoarse, because she'd been yelling to stop them, and the crowd was getting bigger as more students gathered to see the hot-new-kid and the hot-misfit battled.

Neji was pinning Sasuke on the floor, one hand curled around his neck when the other hand constantly hit his face. Sasuke had hard time struggled from Neji's attack, but somehow he managed to lift his feet to gave Neji a kick right in his tummy, making him got flew away for a few feet.

"You bastard.." Sasuke breathed in a abnormally hoarse voice, his hands covering his neck, then he spat blood on the floor and coughed.

Neji, meanwhile, was prostrating, his forehead met the floor as his hands hugged his stomach, moaning in pain. Along with his moans, there were also some curses.

Hinata's eyes already felt burn from the hot tears; she didn't want to see any of them got hurt. Besides, she hated blood, she hated seeing them. But no matter how loud she yelled, they just didn't listen to her..!

"Please, please stop, Uchiha.." she crawled to Sasuke, taking his hand, but he shoved it off and scrappily got up. At the same time, Neji staggered forward too, as if they would begin another round.

"You're weak, Hyuuga.." Sasuke said.

The other guy calmly wiped blood from his jaw. "Smug bastard." But after he said that, he doubled over, his hand on his kidney.

Sasuke took the chance to lunged and grabbed Neji's collar, but when he was about to dart another punch to Neji's face, he got his hand held.

"What the fuc—"

"Don't talk dirty to your teacher, Mr. Uchiha. Your detention would be doubled." Prof. Kurenai voice boomed.

"Shit." Hinata heard both guys whispered the same things.

Apparently, a big 'DETENTION' mark would be in their foreheads in any minutes.

Here were things that made today as the worst day ever to Neji..

Firstly, it was his first time to be in the principal's room and not receiving any trophies, if anything, it was detention that certainly he would get.

Secondly, he just got dispatched from the hospital due to the injuries he had for his fights (for Hinata's sake, of course), and now, considering all the wounds he just got –and it felt really, REALLY hurt too-, he would likely enter that creepy white building again.

And the last, right beside him, sitting a bastard who happened to be his Lady's very first boyfriend, and that guy just couldn't stop taunting him.

Like this..

"Looking good there, Hyuuga.." ManwhoreBastard said sarcastically. Unfortunately, the Principal Tsunade hadn't come to the office, had she been there, she would fillet the Uchiha guy, for he had guts to speak in such critical situation. When Neji hadn't replied him until the next three seconds, ManwhoreBastard flashed a grin that showed off his cracked teeth and bleeding mouth.

"Cat got your tongue, senior?" He provoked Neji again, looking really enjoying it.

Neji found himself smirking at the view.

"If this could cheer you up, Uchiha.." he said, closing his eyes as he motioned his chin to the younger guy's grin. "Your teeth are all red, and it looks really horrible."

When he opened his eyes again, the first thing he got was an awfully powerful punch right in his left eye.

"Damn you!" Neji hissed, his hands on his smarting eyes. "I should have known that you're a barbarian!"

Sasuke ignored him. "Now you should thank me, my future-bodyguard-in-law.." his tone and talking style oozed Neji's mockingly. "—for I had given color red to your formerly-plain-white eye."

Neji was lifting his right hand up when both of them heard two footsteps were nearing the place. It had to be Principal Tsunade and Prof. Yuuhi.

Sasuke quickly shook his head wildly so his hair fixed, then spat all the blood in his mouth to his handkerchief. Neji rubbed his left eye softly until it got white again, then changed his countenance to be his usual tranquil expression.

"Don't drag Hinata into this." ManwhoreBastard hissed.

"I should have said the same thing to you." he replied.

Then both of them folded their arms on their laps, faces looked confused. Those were a picture of an utter capitulation from two innocent boys.

"Play it cool." Neji said while maintaining his patented golden-boy look. "We do not wish for her to get into any trouble because of us.

The other guy snickered quietly. "Don't order me around, whitey-eyes."

"God curses you, Albino."

A sound of someone twisting the doorknob rose.

Sasuke's innocent look replaced his former-lethal expression as he announced softly. "Here they come."

Neji's expression was strikingly identical to the guy beside him when he smoothed his long, lustrous hair. "Remember that we're in foreign territory."

Shortly afterwards, two women marched into the room. "—and since the fight was getting brutal, I had to separate them and bring them here, Tsunade." Kurenai said as she closed the door, her eyes locked onto the calmly sitting young men.

"Thank you for the explanation, Prof. Yuuhi, now please continue your works." Tsunade instructed and Kurenai followed it without any balk. After her presence was gone, Tsunade walked onto her seat and flopped onto there. Her calculating eyes studied the boys' for a second before she exhaled sharply.

"Okay, stop acting right now, boys. I know you both were fighting." She smirked at these words. "And all because of this Hinata girl.."

Sasuke blinked twice, and then looked at Neji, then back to Tsunade, his face only showed confusion. "I don't know what you are talking about, ma'am."

Instead of answering, Tsunade leaned onto her arm to reach Sasuke's chin. He automatically backed away, but her hand was faster, she cupped his pointed chin to tilt his head rather forcibly to get a better view of his face.

"Don't make things difficult, Mr. Uchiha." She released him roughly. "Your beaten up face is the evidence, the wounds are new."

"Besides.." she continued, looking very sure that she would win the word-war. "Everybody knows that Hinata is your girlfriend.." she glanced at the grim-looking Sasuke. "-and also your beloved Lady." This time, her eyes were on Neji. "It's no wonder if you two fought because of her."

This time, it was Neji's turn to raise his voice. "We were doing rehearsal for our play, ma'am."

The blonde woman merely cocked a skeptical brow. An amused smirk on her face.

"That was the worst lie I've ever heard, you idiot!" Sasuke whispered with his mouth closed.

"Is there anything else you could think in this situation, Mr. Smart-Ass!.?" Was Neji's reply, of course with his mouth closed too.

A silent curse was barely heard under Sasuke's breath before he grinned sheepishly to the woman. He was pretty good on using his charm, and quite frankly, his ability had saved him for a few times. He just hoped today his charm would save him again.

"That's true, ma'am." He confirmed. "You know, Neji just out of the hospital and we wanted to surprise _my_ dear Hinata."

Neji winced at the remark.

SMACK!

"Shit!" a nasal sound escaped Sasuke's mouth as he felt an extreme pain on his feet. Apparently, Neji just kicked him.

"Yours only, Sasuke?" Neji asked, his voice oozed eerie sweetness.

Sasuke mouthed another curse to him before corrected himself reluctantly. "-Our dear Hinata."

The smirk hadn't gone from Tsunade's lips, much to the guys' dismay. "By pretending that you're fighting over her?"

"Yep. By pretending that we're fighting over her." Sasuke nodded in jubilance.

"Exactly. By pretending that we were fighting over her." Neji's nods followed him.

"I see…." She also nodded.

Sasuke tittered when he realized that it was an extremely weird view. Just imagine, three people were smiling to one another while nodding simultaneously over a pointless lie? Oh, please…

Neji kicked his feet (AGAIN?.!) hard under the desk and Sasuke quickly turned his laugh into a cough while trying to hex the damned Hyuuga.

"But it's kind of weird, actually…" Tsunade began to speak again as the boys' brain started to roll for ideas. "Why you have helluva so many serious injuries when you're only pretending?"

"Because…" Neji replied briskly, then paused for a while as he tried to find a good reason. "Because… my-" he barely saw Sasuke charged his feet under the table from his corner eye and quickly corrected the sentence. "-I am sorry, our, OUR personifications were amazing."

"Plus—" Sasuke added, a triumphant smirk spread on his face. "He's got this overly soft and fragile and delicate skin, that even a little punch like this-" he punched Neji's upper arm as hard as he could, but he made it in such way that it looked as if he punched him lightly.

Of course, a huge bruise suffused on Neji's arm a few seconds after Sasuke darted his fist on it.

He ignored Neji's silent cursing and finished. "—could've leaved this big bruise in this skin."

Tsunade couldn't help chuckling inwardly in this rate. "Interesting theory, Mr. Uchiha. But still—"

The door flew open and Hinata's petite body rushed in, on her back, there was Prof. Yuuhi trying to call her back, but surprisingly, she ignored her.

"Well, well, well, another newcomer." The blonde's smile got widen as the boys' jaws dropped.

"Hinata-san?" Neji was the first who recovered from the shock. "How is it possible to you to get in here?"

Hinata didn't answer him, instead, she was muttering things sounded like 'Hold your breath, strengthen your feet, and had your chin high' over and over. Then she walked slowly to Tsunade's desk bravely.

Sasuke leaned to Neji slightly. "Told you before that your cousin is an idiot."

Hinata tripped forward and lose her footing, the next second; she was lying on her stomach. Neji wanted to get up to help her, but Sasuke's hand held him.

"-And a clumsy.." he continued.

"Shut the hell up."

The words Sasuke had taught her kept heard inside the room as Hinata scrappily got up, then after she was right before Tsunade, she embedded her hands on the big desk, before forcibly had her white eyes locked onto the blonde's.

"Hold your breath, strengthen your feet, and had your chin high" she said to herself. "Hold your breath, strengthen your feet, and had your chin high."

Tsunade's voice was sweet. "Yes, Ms. Hyuuga?"

"T-t-t-t-they…" she gulped and repeated the sentence once again. After she composed herself, she tried again.

"T-they were fighting like that because of me, ma'am!"

Sasuke's smirk was rueful as he finished his sentence. "-And a weirdo."

Neji's face fell down as he –for once- had to admit that what the albino guy had said was true.

A Victory sign were on Tsunade's eyes as she heard the whole story from Hinata, before she sentenced the teens three hours detention at Saturday.

"A-are y-you… still hurt, Neji-nii?" Hinata asked very softly as she applied an ointment to Neji's left eye. "I.. I'm very sorry f-for what'd happened…I-I.. I never meant to get you into tr-trouble..—"

He smiled despite on his hurting eye. "Good deed was the thing that stands as the basis for your former action, Hinata-san. Your intention was pure and that is the only thing matters for me now."

She returned his smile cutely, then she bowed a little. "You're.. very kind…"

Had Neji got wings on his back, he must have flown; the words really blew him out. He cheered inwardly, Hinata always got bolder with her words when no one around, that was why he liked taking the small halls to go to the cafeteria, almost no one ever went there and there were always been the two of them..

If only she weren't..

"Keep dreaming, Hyuuga.." Those wicked voice rang on his ear, ruining the mood of his luscious hallucination. "Just remember that you can't and won't get the realism of your fantasies."

Neji grunted in resentment. How come he had forgotten that that Uchiha guy came along with them today? And how did he know that Neji was thinking about her?

It seemed that his thought was read by the Uchiha. "You're smiling so frenziedly until I'm pretty worried about my girlfriend safety." Manwhorebastard said, then stuffed himself between Neji and his Lady. Neji found himself dropping his jaw when Sasuke took Hinata hand and whispered something to her ear. She gasped as another blush came to her cheek, then gave Neji a strange look.

Maybe he told her about Neji lusting over her.

Fink, fink, fink. He played it dirty.

"Accusations and defamations are utterly sinful, Uchiha." Neji managed to keep his voice cool, although the hatred was failed to be concealed.

The albino's tone had mutual hatred in it. "As much as incest and lustful thinking would be."

"S-Sasuke..!" Hinata suddenly cried out. "Neji! Please d-don't fight a-again!"

"Sure thing." Sasuke lightly said as he slung his arm around the girl's neck, making a deep crimson blush to appear on both of her cheek. He drew her closer so their bodies met and took a glance to the homicidal Neji.

"Truce, Hyuuga?"

'Damn you albino manwhore bastard! Get off her!' was already on Neji's tongue of tip, but he swallowed it and instead tossing the couple a forced smile as the respond.

"Okay."

They reached cafeteria in a few moments and easily located their table, and much to Neji's horror, Sasuke would gonna sit with them.

Purgatory was the only thing Neji could say in order to reassure himself.

Hinata announced that she would go to the toilet, and the Uchiha offered to get her some food. Hinata hesitated at first, but then the guy gave his Lady a weird smile (?) that almost looked like a threat, before he went to the food counter with two trays on his hands.

Neji thought he saw Hinata shuddered a little she waved a goodbye salute to him.

"S-See you... Neji-nii..." she said before she went to the girls' closet.

That left Neji sat alone in the table.

And thus he waited..

And waited..

But still, neither of them came back again.

After half an hour waiting, Neji couldn't hold his patience anymore and started to search for them. Since he couldn't find the couple anywhere, he decided to wait until the bell ring and went to his next class (which was also Hinata and Sasuke next class).

They still didn't show up.

One strange possibility of his Lady and her boyfriend whereabouts strike to his mind. And as his nostrils flared, he rushed away to his locker—

-and found a letter was slipped under it.

"Shit." He breathed a curse indignantly after he had read the letter's content.

'**_We're going out for a date. Don't search for us.  
>Hinata and Sasuke<em>**

**_P.S: Don't you dare to disturb us!'_**

A teacher found out about him missing his classes and called for him. But Neji merely ignored her and exited the school hall. As more colorful curses escaped his pale lips, he quickly entered the parking lot to get into his car. Without thinking twice, he pulled out from the lot to search for his cousin. And if possible, give the bastard more kicks.

There was no way for Sasuke Uchiha to kidnap his cousin!

**Chapter five ended**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six–The Impromptu Date-**

Hinata couldn't help biting her nails when she took a glance at her old Mickey Mouse watch. It was already ten past one, and based on her schedule, she was supposed to be in English class, not in this unfamiliar car, going to nowhere.

She glanced at the driving man beside her and felt her stomach twist strangely. Sasuke wasn't in a good mood, she knew. His face was creased and his breaths were fast, and there were a few veins jutting on his backhands. And if only he hadn't set the music volume in the highest level, she'd hear him cursing violently.

Mustering her courage, Hinata leaned over and lowered the volume a little. She wanted to cheer him up, maybe a compliment or two would do it.

"Uchiha?" she called him as she lowered the radio volume. Her action got rewarded by a throbbing glare from the albino.

"What?" he snapped.

His words brought her a sudden apathy, but she hadn't give up. "W-wouldn't we g-get in trouble… s-s-skipping classes…?"

Sasuke's voice was cold as he asked back. "You don't trust me?"

She gasped as a tremor ran through her spine. Pressing her fingers together, she cautiously replied. "N-no…"

"Then be quiet."

"Y-yes, sir!" she covered her mouth as soon as she noticed how she addressed him. "I-I mean.. Sasu- oh no.." she shook her head. "- Uchiha..!"

Realizing that she just said his name a little bit too loud for her approval, she fidgeted. Not having enough courage to look straight at the man, Hinata bowed her head down deeply as she prepared her ears to take in any words the raven haired guy would say. But even after a few moments waiting, he hadn't responded.

When she dared herself to look at him; she saw Sasuke had turned his back to her. His shoulders shook a little and she could hear a few nasal sounds of snorts.

Was he laughing at her?

At least it was a better thought than Sasuke planning to disembowel her.

"Uchiha..Uchiha?"

"First beautiful and now you call me 'sir'." He said, still didn't look at her, then a short, very short chuckle came from his mouth as he glanced at her. "Your stuttering results really are unpredictable."

Hinata blushed. Here came the regurgitated conversations that made her feel uncomfortable.

"I..I think Neji w-would be mad if w-we left him like that…" she said, trying to change the topic.

If anything, Sasuke tensed. "Oh, I left him a letter."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

She couldn't hide her curiousness. She had seen that Neji and Sasuke had been fighting, and she did see that it was mainly because of her. Seeing Neji in his livid stage wasn't Hinata's favorite hobby, thus, she didn't really like it if Sasuke used her to tease Neji. "W-what did you s-say to him?"

He didn't answer; only drew a deep breath, and when he spoke again, his voice hinted his annoyance for her prying. "You're pretty talkative, huh?"

She just realized that he was irritated by her and quickly came to her usual fidgeting pose. Her eyes cautiously went up to meet his while she muttered. "I'm sorry.. I just.."

". . .Feel safer if he's around." He guessed.

Hinata felt it strange to find that he was right.

"No, no, it-it's not that.." she lied. She had been a bad liar, but she'd done it so much until her lies became more and more convincing as time passed. Most people would instantly believe her white lies, with Neji and Hanabi as exceptions. Of course, that's because they'd known her for so long.

But how surprised she was when Sasuke only smirked and shook his head as he pointed out. "You're lying."

Hinata had never thought that Sasuke had known her that well.

"You.. you always a-act sweet to me i-if he's around…" she decided to come clean.

He shrugged. "I'm always sweet."

She felt her cheek burn after she heard that. Sasuke's high self-esteem often brought her apathy. "I-it's in a differ-different caliber.." a few moment nibbled on her lower lip before she continued. "Y-you actually acted _nice_."

Sasuke ran a hand through his hair. "Shouldn't I act nice to my girlfriend?" he muttered, then suddenly stopped as he had taken in her meaning. A moment later, he was found suppressing a growing smirk as amusement flickered in his eyes.

His tone was teasing. "You want me to act like a _real_ boyfriend even when there's only the two of us?"

She hadn't replied –as if she could reply with her jaw dropped, but Sasuke had spoke again. "Seeing that it'd be me as the beneficiary.." he pretended to look at her full lips and licked his own perfect lips. "I wouldn't mind, really."

Hinata tried to work on her mouth a several times, but ended up only opening and shutting it up wordlessly. She felt her whole body was burning; it was either she was blushing deep crimson or she was turning green due the embarrassment.

"Y-you're.." she tried to laugh, but failed miserably by looking like a nauseated pig. "You h-have a weird s-sense.. of humor.."

Although he didn't smile, his voice was cordial. "I've been told that."

Just like that, the tension seemed to leave him. That time Hinata realized how it was easy to alleviate the Uchiha. He may seem unapproachable and intimidating, but he was surprisingly easy to please. Hinata wondered if he just smiled more and talked more, maybe she would dare to call him perfection itself.

They reached the restaurant shortly afterwards. Only by giving a quick glance at the sign, Hinata had knew that it was an extremely expensive steakhouse that had claimed popularity among the world. Her father had brought the whole family to eat in there a few times, on special occasions of course. And that was all for dinner. She glanced at her watch again, and suddenly felt awkward to have lunch in such heavenly place.

"Y-You sure.. want to eat here?" she asked him when he opened the door for her.

"You don't like steak?"

"N-no…" she saw he winced, and quickly explained her answer. "I mean.. I-I like steak. B-but it's just.. awkward.. I usually eat steak a-at dinner."

To her surprise, a vague smile appeared on his lips. "Well, break the habit sometimes. It's pretty healthy."

He didn't touch her when he walked her to the restaurant. And by the time they entered the place, he instantly picked the farthest table, the one near the corner, ignoring the hostess' recommendation. Hinata saw the hostess's nostrils flared as she muttered 'snob, snob' or something in same implication with that, and smiled apologetically to her.

A waitress came over their table only to be surprised at the fact that they were only kids. But she hid the shock quickly and gave them the menu. Hinata noticed that the woman was only speaking and looking at Sasuke whenever she talked or recommended some foods, and quietly agreed with her. Sasuke was beautiful, indeed. They way he talked or acted was graceful, and he had one of the most gorgeous faces she had ever seen. If he wanted to, he could be a model in any agency.

"Hinata!" his voice snapped her back to reality.

"Eh..?"

"What you'd like to get?" he asked.

She frantically turned over the menu book, and with Sasuke's guide, ordered one chicken steak. The waitress nodded, smiled _too_ widely, and walked away. Hinata noticed that her hips were swaying unusually and she was amazingly endowed. And just in instant, almost every male species in the building was leering on her.

Sasuke wasn't included, though. He only glanced a little.

"She knows how to flaunt very well." He commented.

Not knowing if he wanted her to agree or to object, Hinata chose the safe way by nodding silently.

Then he made an abrupt action by leaning into her and hovered on her face. "If only you can do that, you'd do it better."

She gaped at him.

"You've got a better bod than her, in case you didn't know." He said that so matter-of-factly that Hinata couldn't really decide if he was joking or not. But after she saw the seriousness in his face, she finally concluded that he didn't.

"Y-you always... com-compli-compliment me." she stammered. It was kind of hard to talk if there was a guy a few inches before you, and he had a breathtakingly stunning face, and you were practically gagging because of his words.

He straightened his back then relaxed on his chair. "People like to be complimented."

"Oh." She saw his points. So in short, he wanted her to be happy.

"And not many people compliment you." he added.

_That_ didn't really make her happy.

"S-so..." she cleared her throat, trying to dash away from the subject. "Why did you... b-bring me here…?"

'_To be away from your cousin, of course!'_ he wanted to say. But then he decided not to be so crude and gave her the secondary reason.

"We need to know each other."

He saw her blush again and strangely felt amused. This girl was so easy got embarrassed. Usually he didn't like teasing people, especially a semi-stranger like this Hyuuga girl, but her blushing wsd so amusing that he couldn't help it.

"People know us as a couple." He said.

"Y-yeah..." she still seemed confused.

Did he need to explain all to her? Gee, he'd never thought that the girl was this stupid.

"Don't you think we should have a kind of love history or such?" he said a little bit too roughly. She stiffened in her seat.

"I-I guess… Neji-nii had b-been asking me how w-we get attracted t-to each other."

He knew it, that freaky white-eyed guy wouldn't let his plan go smoothly!

"So?"

Her white-purplish eyes blinked a few times as she repeated what he had said.

If only he didn't have respect for her, he'd likely shout at her. "Had you thought of any love story for us?" he elucidated rather impatiently.

She only timidly shook her head.

He clicked his tongue to show his irritation.

The waitress came not so long after, and still had that distinctive walk. He was flattered to see that she did that for him –that redhead shamelessly winked at him, for God's sake-, but sadly, she was kind of spring-fling type for him. It wasn't interesting to have girls who were openly into him. He didn't feel the challenge. Then again, most girls were like that, some of them even willing to offer a one-night-stand with him. Had she not been interested in him, she'd be either a dyke or a girl who already had both a crush and an extremely classical mind that includes fantasies about knight in shining armor.

Very much like the girl who was intertwining her hands in front of him.

Aka, not his type.

"Please enjoy." The red-head said, then tossed him a flirtatious smile before she went away.

Hinata still glowered and he felt guilt creep into him. "Forget about it, then. Let's just say I suddenly fell in love with you at the first sight." He gave another alternate. It was the easiest, although not making sense. But then again, whoever said love was sensible? He had seen his mother and his father, and he knew very well that his ma was deeply hurt by Fugaku's inappropriate actions towards her, but still, she loved him with all her heart.

He better stop thinking about it before it got into his nerves.

"Well?"

"O-Okay.." she nodded again.

It amazed him to see that her crimson blush could go up to the skin above her chest.

"Okay." And with that, he dropped the topic and they started eating.

Hinata discovered that it was hard, extremely hard to concentrate eating that time. That albino guy, who she'd been scared of, just said that he fell in love with her at first sight. She knew it was kind of absurd, since he said that because of their little play, but still, nobody ever said that to her and it made her nervous whenever she thought about it.

On her last bite, her hold loosened and the fork somersaulted in the air, but when it fell again, it made a fleet contact with her backhand. It made a slight nick that spilled blood.

"Ow!" she screeched in reflex and gazed at her own blood.

It was red.

Very red.

And it was scary.

Suddenly, Hinata went hysterical, she'd never liked blood, especially fresh blood. The way it made a trail on her backhand was utterly frightening, and when it dripped to the floor, she couldn't help but scream.

She would have screamed if only Sasuke's hand wasn't covering her mouth from her back. His other hand supported her weight so she didn't fall. She felt everyone's eyes were on them, but that wasn't thing that mattered now.

"It's only a small cut." He shushed in a surprisingly gentle voice. "It's alright.."

Hinata, now had tears in her eyes, only could nodded silently in his arms

He kept shushing her, and finally when her trembling had lessened he meticulously asked. "Are you fine now?"

Her heart was still pounding, and she felt really weak, but she forced to take some deep breathes, and after rested her head on his broad shoulder, she nodded. Then, cautiously he released her mouth and shoved his hand onto his pocket, his other hand still wrapped around her.

He held out a handkerchief, it had some blood prints in it, and he was about to rub it onto her skin! She wanted to protest, but she wasn't in place where she could protest, so she only shut her eyes and waited. Her hand smarting as he softly rubbed his handkerchief against it, and after he was done he told her.

Hinata sighed in relief when she couldn't see anymore blood.

"T-Thank you.." she bowed to him a little.

"You're more fragile than I'd expected." He said as he got back to his seat, then his hand reached out to stroke the little cut. "Even a mere fork could hurt you."

Hinata didn't know what to say, so she only tilted her head down in shame.

"Maybe we should add more details for our story." He scratched his nape as he thought about it. "Tell people that you rejected me but I was persistent on chasing you. . . Do you agree with that?"

She felt another familiar sensation of blushing again, but she nodded anyway.

"Good." He exhaled.

The silence started to fall again and she felt really uncomfortable with it.

"U-Uchiha.."

"Mm-hmm?"

"Why.. w-why did you add that t-to the story..?"

He only grimaced.

Hinata mentally kicked herself. Why did she become that curious? She almost forgot that the guy never liked it when she started to pry, and yet she did it again. But when she was about to apologize, he gestured her to stop and averted her gaze.

"You're so fragile." He said. "I'm afraid the girls would molest you, and you won't be able to handle it. But they couldn't do anything to you if it's me who is deeply in love with you, could they?"

That time, Hinata truly believed that Sasuke was a sweet guy.

And if only she'd studied him closer, she would have noticed that he was blushing when he admitted it.

**Chapter six ended**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven –The Redheaded Strangers-**

Two hours and seventeen minutes.

That had to rate as the longest conversation Hinata ever had to anyone aside from Neji. It was long not because Hinata and Sasuke hit it off, but because there were so many things to be remembered and talked. It was awkward for her, now that she'd known every single facts of Sasuke –his family was an exception, though, he wanted to keep it private- in just two hours straight. She didn't remember if she had anyone she knew that much.

"So, who's my favorite person?" he asked, bringing her back from her reverie.

She bit her lower lip as she tried to remember. "Your mother..?"

A small smile appeared on his lips, meaning that her answer was correct.

"Yes, and you." he said.

Hinata blushed. Hadn't she known he was acting; she must had collapsed hearing that. Sasuke could be charming if he wanted to, and Hinata was so sure that he was capable to dazzle every normal female if he tried. Too bad he chose to be a cold, intimidating guy.

"Would you mind adding me to your favorite person list too? Just in case when my family asks you." he said, his face showed his uneasiness requesting that to her. "I… don't like the idea looking pathetic in front of them."

She almost didn't believe what she just heard. The word Sasuke and Pathetic should be the worst match in the whole universe. Aside from his weird attitude and his albinism, Sasuke was nearing to the point of perfect. He was smart, gorgeous, and even when Hinata hadn't witnessed Sasuke's in P.E, she could guess that he was an athlete. If anything, it was she who looked pathetic.

A rueful smile was on her lips as she nodded shyly. "S-sure.."

His nods joined her. "Great." He muttered, then lifted his hand to order some drinks again. The red-headed servant was the one who sauntered to him, as always, and she still tried to flirted to him. Sometimes he played her game by giving her a few suggestive remarks, but in most times he simply ignored her and only looked at Hinata wistfully, as if he wanted her to do something to the woman.

This time, Hinata saw, Sasuke decided to throw himself at her game.

"What you'd like to drink?" she asked, her lips curved into a smile with unnecessary warmth.

He clasped his hands and rested his pointed chin on it, his smile was inviting. "Anything made by you is okay."

This was the best respond Sasuke ever gave to her in the past two hours, and her face was shining upon hearing that. Hinata could read the unspoken 'can I be on your bed tonight?' in her face as she played with her hair.

"Oh, that's so sweet of you.." she purred.

"I'm always sweet."

She giggled cattily, and for some unreasonable reasons, Hinata almost felt irritated.

Almost.

"So, since I don't know your name can I call you Mr. Handsome?" she sang in an abnormally high-pitched voice.

"That'd be okay. And since I also don't know your name—" Hinata saw Sasuke quickly took a glance at her before he tossed another dazzling smile to the servant. "—Can I call you Ms. Stunning?"

Hinata noticed that Sasuke's eyes were lingering on the waitress' lips, and the red-head noticed it too.

She giggled again. "Oh, you're so sweet… any girl would be happy having you as a boyfriend…"

_You always shout at this kind of girls at school!_ Hinata wanted to cry out. _Why don't you do it now? I know she already gets on your nerves!_

For a second, Sasuke's face became whiter as his red-black orbs black blazed. And when Hinata looked at his hands, those were already clenched hard. She cheered inwardly, Sasuke always looked like this before he exploded and shouted, and maybe this time he also would shove this girl off.

Her expectation didn't come true, though.

"Including you?" he asked instead, his voice alluringly husky.

"Awwww…." She giggled again, and Hinata almost swore if she did that again, she'd likely scratch her right in face.

"Of course, including me, you jest.." she said in a catty voice.

Another waitress approached her and after nodding to Hinata and Sasuke and ogled him briefly, she whispered something to the red-head. Her expression was abrasive.

The bithcy waitress pouted to her, then smiled again to Sasuke. "Your order would be ready in a few minutes, Mr. Handsome."

"Right, don't forget to make it by your own hand, Ms. Stunning." He replied lightly, clearly enjoying the flirting season.

After both women were nowhere in sight again, Sasuke's former merry face suddenly turned into grim-looking. He exhaled deeply and shook his head in disbelief as he looked at Hinata.

"It's either you're abnormal or you're the worst actress."

She blinked at him. "What?"

"Your boyfriend is flirting to another girl, and yet you still stay passive? That's frustrating, really." He said, there were deep furrows on his brow.

Hinata needed a good thirty seconds to shut her gaping mouth up. It was unbelievable! He seemed so real when he did that, she almost thought that Sasuke was really into her. The way his eyes tried to strip that woman naked, the way his voice became that husky, he seemed turned on that time.

"That's.. that's only an acting?" she gasped.

Sasuke tipped his chin with his forefinger. "Although I couldn't deny that she's a bombshell."

Her lips turned into a thin line as her eyes glared at him through her bangs. "I..I d-don't like her."

He shrugged. "Ditto. Too clingy."

Oh God, he infuriated her. "If y-you don't like her…" she said, there were implicit vague venom was in her tone. "—why did you f-flirt with her?"

And "I want to see your reaction." was his suave answer.

That was enough to surprise the Hyuuga heiress, though.

"W-what do y—"

"You noticed how I always come to blows with your cousin? How I always try to protect you from the girls? _How I always act like a boyfriend_?" he cut her off. Eyes were impenetrable when he stared at her. It was hard to avert from his intent gaze, so she played with her fingers, but he took her hand and enclosed it with his so the only thing that was in her focus was him.

"I—I'

"I know I'm not Naruto, and this' only a pure sham." He cut off again. "But, please, Hinata. Be a girlfriend." It wasn't a question nor a statement. It was a request.

It took every ounce of her power to reply. "I-I'll try.."

He relaxed as he released his stare from her. "Good."

Another awkward silence began to linger again before Sasuke broke it.

"Now, onto the next topic."

She nodded groggily. "Okay."

His lower lips caught between his teeth for a moment, then he leaned slightly into her. His face was serious. "How did I confess to you?"

And just suddenly, Hinata remembered all the romantic things that she always dreamed at night. That at midnight Naruto would appear to her balcony, brining a big flower bouquet and recited poetry for her. And after he'd done, he kissed her and confessed his undying love to her. It was corny, but she couldn't help liking the idea.

Sasuke blinked. "Hinata? You're red, you okay?"

He reached out to touch her forehead, but that only made Hinata felt more catastrophic. It was so easy to imagine that Sasuke's hand was Naruto's, and his low voice –in her ears- suddenly changed into Naruto's childlike one, for a moment there, Hinata almost thought that the guy before her was her blonde knight.

"Naruto…" she absently moaned.

Sasuke could feel his face creased as the name escaped her lips. Was she imagining that he was the dumblonde?

Ew, just ew.

He'd never know the reason why this girl was so attracted to that guy. He had been studying Naruto, and he couldn't find anything plus from him. He was loud, stupid, unmannered, and more importantly-

-Naruto had already smitten with another girl.

He heard Hinata moaned the blonde's name again, and he reflexively pulled her hand away.

"I'm Sasuke." he reminded.

She seemed perplexed for about a minute, and he repeated his name again.

"Sasuke. S-A-S-U-K-E."

Just in instant, she blushed, and now her blush even reached her hand. Sasuke couldn't help but feel amused, he'd been liking seeing her blushing. Besides, it was extremely rare to find a girl who was capable on blushing deeply like that.

"Are you out of your reverie now?" he asked.

She hyperventilated. "Don't.. d-don't tease me again.."

"You're a rare girl." He told her before he knew what he was doing. "I'm glad I chose you."

A pause started to fell as they suddenly clamped their mouth shut.

"So how did I confess to you? Have a plan?" he quickly changed to subject

"I-I.. I already have…" she admitted, then blushed again, though wasn't as deep as before –to his disappointment-. "B-but.. it's totally, utterly" –she shook her head in this rate- "—stupid."

How it was hard not to tease her again. "Was it how you imagined Naruto confessed to you?"

"U-Uchiha !"

He held up his hands. "Okay, okay.. no need to unleash your animosity." He said, then folded his hand on the table as he leaned into her again. "What is it?"

She sounded excited. "So..at night, n-no.. at midnight.."

He usually not into this kind of thing, but he was so in good mood that he was amused to hear her story. "Yes?"

She froze, as if she just realized what she'd been doing. "F-forget it…y-you'd only laugh.."

"Hey!" he sounded more disappointed that he supposed to be. "Come on. I won't laugh."

She only took a peek at him. "Promise?"

"Nope." He saw her face fell, and with a suppressed grin he put a hand on his chest. "Swear."

She chuckled a little, then intertwined her fingers. As her head gazed upward longingly, he could see red color suffused on her skin. Then she abruptly stared at him again, and this time, the blush had gone. Her long, lustrous hair framed her pale face as a small smile tugged on her lips.

That time, Sasuke almost thought that she was pretty.

Almost.

"Okay… y-you swore…" she said.

It was kinda hard to let out another witty statement when he had his own dilemma fighting the blush that tried to creep on his cheeks, so he only nodded. "Go on."

Surprisingly, she almost didn't stammer when she spoke. "I've.. been wanting someone.. to come at my balcony at midnight, bringing me a bouquet of flower and.. recites his own poetry to me… and then, " her face flushed as she murmured. "—he kisses me gently.. before he confesses his love.." she sighed wistfully. "It's just romantic…"

"Yeah.. you should considering living through writing novels." He commented. He remembered his mother often complained how unromantic Sasuke's father was, and she once told him that she wanted her husband to do the exact thing like Hinata'd explained.

It made him smiled.

"You've got a pretty creative mind." He said.

"Ah.. not at all.." she seemed pleased but embarrassed at the same time. Sasuke pursed his lips, it seemed that the girl's self-esteem was really low. She always tensed whenever he said a good thing about her, as if she didn't have anything good in herself.

The hair on his nape went up and he sensed something wicked was approaching them. His instinct was just right, the red-headed bitch was strutting into their table, in her hand was glass with orange juice in it. Her face only showed an excessive proud, making Sasuke concluded that the drink was made by herself.

"Hinata." He called her.

She only nodded. But he could see her anxiousness, for her neck was covered by her sweat. She had never fought anyone, and right now, for a stranger's sake, she needed to fight an overly confident-girl. In all sudden, Sasuke felt bad for her.

"Don't push yourself too hard." He instructed.

"Here you are, enjoy..!" those catty voice boomed into his ears. "I made it by myself, as you requested."

It was so easy to attack her with words, he betted that this girl was easy to break into tears. But he relented as he remembered that he already gave Hinata an opportunity to attack her, and only tossed on of his most charming smile.

"Oh, thanks, I'm sure I'd love it."

There, he'd done his Good Samaritan duty, now it's Hinata's turn to be the cruel guy,

He blew an air to his bangs, satisfied that he sounded pretty convincing. The waitress smiled to him as she carefully put the glass to their table.

He made a slow motion to take the glass, half of him wanting him to stop, in case she'd put some love-potion or whatever poison in it. Half of him wanting Hinata to stop his movement and drink the glass for him instead.

His second anticipation became true, as Hinata quickly took the glass before his fingers made contact with it, and finished the drink in three gulps.

Of course, the waitress had a look of disapproval on her face. "I-I'm sorry miss, but Mr. Handsome was the one who ordered the drink…"

Hinata only gave her an innocent look. "Does it matter?" she said softly, but indisputably. It made the red-head flinched to see the intensity on her white eyes.

Sasuke could feel his respect grow for this raven-haired girl.

The bitch seemed couldn't hold her anger no more, she openly threw Hinata an insulting look. "Yes, it does matter. Like I want to make a drink for you, Miss."

Sasuke took a glance at his 'girlfriend' and saw her wincing. He had feeling that this red-headed girl could do more hurting mockery, and thus, he wanted to stop the fight. But before he had chance to speak, Hinata had already on her feet, speaking boldly.

"He's my boyfriend. U—"

'_Oh, shit… Call me by my first name!"_

She shook her head. "Sasuke-kun wouldn't mind if we share drink, would he?"

Both heads turned into the only guy around.

"Oh." Sasuke just realized that it's not only Hinata and the faceless' girl eyes were on him, but also the rest of patrons were also looking at him.

He smirked as he realized that it was already his turn.

"Of course, sweetheart." he winked at the hyperventilating Hinata.

"Oh, God, please forgive me, Oh, God, please forgive me, Oh, God, please forgive me..!" Hinata couldn't stop muttering those things all the way Sasuke rode her home. She really didn't mean to have the poor lady fired with no respect like that..! She only wanted to practice to be a good girlfriend..!

"Oh, Jesus… I'm a bad person…" she finally muttered.

"Oh, no, you're not." Sasuke said, his face still looked amused. If anything, he looked really happy to see the poor lady cried while exiting the restaurant. "She's the bad person."

Hinata glowered at him. "You're.. mean…"

"She's a bitch. She called you a slut." Was Sasuke's retort.

"But…" she pleaded. "That's b-because she liked you!"

"Well.." he removed a hand from the steer and replaced it in the back of his neck, scratching it lightly as he thought for the correct answer. "It's her fault to have a crush on a taken guy."

She licked her lips as she felt her cheek became hot. "You're.. you're not exactly taken, y-you know.."

He growled. "Even when I'm single I won't want her. She's not my type."

She gaped at him. That girl was one of the most perfect girl she'd ever seen, maybe she was in the same merit as Sakura and Ino. Beautiful, intimidating, and bold. If such a perfection didn't attract Sasuke, then what else could make him down to his knee? A Goddess?

"T-then.. what's your type?"

He didn't answer and only smiled clandestinely at her. "Thank you, by the way. You were very cool that time."

She knew he didn't want to talk about it and dropped the subject. She was already tired, anyway. The sun had set down, and it was raining heavily outside. Sasuke drove his car quietly to her home, and sometimes still shot her some questions. Then he told her to remember all the things about him, for he also would do the same.

At the middle of the trip, Sasuke's cellphone chirped and he stopped the car at the edge of the road, as he talked to the faceless person at the other end, Hinata tried her best not to eavesdropping and stared outside the window. The rain brought the haze to stick on the window, so it was hard to see through. She blew the window and rubbed it with her hand…- there, the view's better now—

-for she could see a red-headed guy was parking his bike right beside Sasuke's car. He was still on his bike, but he didn't ride. Instead, he tilted his head up, his eyes closed as he let the water to hit his face.

No matter how much Hinata wanted to turn her head away, she couldn't do it. The subject was too attractive to be missed. He was kind of guy who could make girls drooled with only a sigh, very much a resemblance of Sasuke. Though, he looked wilder…

…And had this sexy bad-boy persona.

Hinata studied his frame, he wore his hair a little bit too short, but it looked really good on him. There were three piercing on his ears, and there was a Japanese tattoo on his left forehead. His face, she didn't feel the need to explain. It was plain gorgeous. His cheekbone was high, his skin was clear, and even though he had black purplish shadow under his eyes, it only added his sexiness.

The guy abruptly awoke, then shook his head wildly, letting the water to squirt from his short red-hair. He parted his lips, his breathes were slow and steady. Oh, Hinata swore she could see him for hours… she absently glued her face to the window—

-and suddenly, he looked at her.

She gasped and averted his gaze. She looked at Sasuke, hoping that he had already done talking and quickly pulled the car out. But it seemed that he was in the middle of complicated argument with the person, and she couldn't do anything but wait.

She could feel that the stranger was looking at her, and when she took a quick glance to him, he was still staring at her, the heavy rain seemed wasn't a match for him, he even acted like it wasn't raining at all. Under the dim of traffic light, Hinata couldn't decide his color, but she was fairly positive that he was pale, if not yellowish, and had a pairs of piercing pale green eyes.

And his mouth was so damn perfect. It was lined perfectly, it had the perfect color –a combination of pink and pearl-, and it was pouted perfectly.

And the lips were mouthing something to her.

This time, Hinata couldn't avert his gazes anymore; he was clearly mouthing something to her, his eyes never left hers. She gave him a look that she didn't catch it, and he sighed. Then he leaned into the window, bringing his Adonis-like face closer to her.

But the haze disturbed her sight again. Hinata quickly blew the window again, and rubbed it with her hand. Nah, now it was clear—

He was rubbing his hand against the window too.

She gulped and quickly pulled her hand away, but he only chuckled. Too bad Hinata couldn't hear his voice because they were separated by the window.

He parted his lips and made a thick fog on the window by blowing air into it, making it blurry. Hinata wanted to protest, but his hand gestured her to stop.

Then he used his forefinger to write something on it. His face was mischievously cute.

**U**

He scribbled on the window.

**R**

**C**

**U**

**T**

**E**

Hinata felt her jaw dropped and quickly covered her mouth with her hands. He only laughed, and blew again. This time, his eyes stared her enthusiastically as he smirked.

**G**

**A**

**A**

**R**

**A**

She titled her head, not knowing what the meaning of 'Gaara' was. He caught her confusion quickly and shoved his finger to his broad chest. 'Me' he mouthed. Hinata quickly shut her eyes to plant the name in her brain.

This time, he took out his cellphone, then pointed it to Hinata. She quickly took her cellphone too and chose the Address Book section, sensing that he would give her his phone number right now.

Her prediction was right; he wrote only numbers this time.

But before he finished writing –and Hinata even hadn't take a note of any single number- Sasuke shouted so loudly to his phone and tossed it to the backseat, then he immediately drove again like a maniac.

Feeling disappointment was overwhelming in her body, she looked over her shoulder and saw him was still looking at her. A few seconds later, Gaara's figure was out of her sight, as Sasuke drove even faster than before.

"Uchiha …"

He didn't reply, and that meant he was in a bad mood. Hinata decided to give up and rested her head on the seat. Wondering if she could meet this red-headed boy again.

With Sasuke's maniac speed at driving, his scintillating BMW only needed a few minutes to reach Hinata and Neji's current house. Sure, Sasuke was still uncharacteristically quiet through the ride. His cell also kept ringing nonstop, but he ignored it deliberately. In fact, it looked as if he didn't hear the noisy voice at all. Hinata felt a bit disturbed at first, but being a pretty good adjuster she was, it didn't take a long time before she could feel comfortable with the situation.

Besides, she couldn't really concentrate on anything when her mind was still in that faceless redheaded guy.

It was strange, especially for her. Usually, not many people could intrigue her that fast, and more specifically, that easily. But this Gaara guy, she only needed to close her eyes and already she could see him through and through, as if her eyes had his head-to-toe portrait.

He was almost as good-looking as Naruto…

…

Oh, she was completely fucked up.

"We've arrived." Sasuke announced when he reached Hinata's front gate. His icy tone gave Hinata the picture of his messed mood, but he ushered her to the small porch anyway. Right before Hinata pressed the doorbell, the door flung open and a dark, sturdy man stalked off her house, letting out some deliberated insulting-statements as he approached his car that was parked not so far away from Sasuke's, which was –surprisingly- a standard police car.

"There are polices in your house." Sasuke spoke up her mind.

She grounded her teeth and looked up to Sasuke only to share a worried look with the albino, before simultaneously hurried to enter her house. On the entrance hall, Neji was slouching at the smallest sofa, his hand was on his temple, and eyes stared at his feet as he shook his head rather frantically. It was peculiar to Hinata's eyes to see his cousin showed her a picture of him capitulating. He always seemed so strong, so tough.

"Neji-nii!" Hinata called. "I-is everything alright..?"

Noticing her voice, her bodyguard turned his head to her, a second later, his eyes widened as his pale mouth slowly opened.

"Hinata …" there was a hint of disbelief in his voice.

"Yep, she's home." Sasuke said, which lead him to be Neji's attention.

The long-haired guy tremblingly got up from his sitting, and gazed at the other male. His eyes calculating, as if he was contemplating whether if he was seeing ghost or a real body and flesh of human.

"Uchiha." He finally said, but still looked unconvinced.

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

An almost inaudible sigh escaped Hinata's mouth after she had browsed around and found nothing strange. She smiled at Neji and asked. "Is.. is there s-something happened, Neji-nii?"

"I…" Neji hesitated. "-I had this ridiculous delusion that you were missing."

"I told you that we're going to a date." Sasuke retorted quickly. "I gave you a letter."

The other guy contemplated his answer before he replied. "True." He snorted a short, UNamused laugh. "—And I still can not believe that I was stupid enough for not believed it."

Was that sarcasm Hinata noticed in Neji's words?

Sasuke noticed it too and tapped her back, when she gazed up to him, he had this commiserating look in his black-reddish eyes.

So it _was_ sarcasm.

"Neji-nii…" she called again, her voice pleading. "Please.. l-let me explain…"

For the first time, he didn't comply with her request and only bowed a little to the 'couple'. "I am so sorry for the inconvenience. I am going up now, in case you two need some time for privacy."

He didn't wait for Hinata's confirmation and took the stairs to story two. Hinata bit her lips when she gazed upward, she could see Neji walking to his room and stopped for a while to murmur some incoherent things, then he gazed down to them repentantly and quietly entered his room instead of slamming it like she'd been expecting.

Hinata shut her eyes and shook her head, she had never liked it when Neji be silent like that.

"'I have embarrassed myself'" Sasuke's voice heard.

She flinched as she got snapped back to the reality. "Excuse me?"

"'I have embarrassed myself.'" he repeated, his eyes never left Neji's door-room. "He said that before he went into his sanctuary, I read his mouth-movement."

She brought her hand before her lips, creases appeared on her forehead. Then she made a move to the stairs, she just needed to sooth her cousin!

"Wait." Sasuke caught her by the elbow. "Don't go, he'll feel worse if you follow him."

Her eyes showed an utter disapproval for his option. "But—"

"Spare him his last-dignities, will you?"

"Uchiha ….." her eyes burnt with tears, and she rubbed it with her other hand, finally giving up as she realized that leaving Neji alone was the best option available. Sensing that the girl wouldn't be able to reach the nearest seat alone, Sasuke wrapped an arm around her waist and helped her to stagger to the coach. Hinata flopped onto it carelessly, her eyes shut as she thanked him quietly.

She just made the nicest person in the world hurt. After all the sacrifices he had done to her, and she made him hurt.

"I-I've been a very, very bad pe-person…" she said ruefully.

There wasn't any reply from Sasuke.

Saturdays had always been Hinata's favorite days, despite the fact she couldn't see Naruto on weekends. At least, in the same time, she didn't need to undergo the necessity of coming to school and becoming the girls' jealousy target due to her 'relationship' with the new kid. But this Saturday, however, willy-nilly she had to go to school in order to accomplish her three-hour detention.

She took a rubber-band and pulled her hair back to make a simple ponytail. After got unsatisfied on how she looked in the mirror (_Why I always look this bad?.!)_, she stalked down the stairs and found that his cousin was already waiting for her. She shyly flashed him a smile, and he returned her greeting by bowing a little.

"Good morning, Hinata . How was your sleep?" he asked like usual, although his tone was implicitly different and his smile was… forced, if she may say. She actually saw his lower lip was becoming tremulous when he obliged his mouth to curve up.

Now Hinata knew why Sasuke absolutely hated it when she forced a smile to him.

She murmured her answer and they went to the school, after arrived there at nine, Principal Tsunade met with them in the front gate. Sasuke was glowering beside her, and surprisingly, there was also Ino and Sakura in either sides of him. They were glaring to each other, as always, and Hinata almost giggled when she noticed that both girls –again- had an identical skimpy clothes on.

Tsunade didn't give them time to talk and immediately walked them to the library, assigning them an almost unbelievable task by wanting them to rearrange one-fourth of the books in there. Of curse, it was devastating, especially after knowing that Konoha High's library had an enormous amount of books listed.

"You're crazy…" Sasuke breathed, eyes wide as he tried his best not to throw the blonde-woman his infamous mocks.

Tsunade smiled wickedly. "Yes, and I can be insane if each of you don't shelf at least a hundred books today."

"That's an indirect felony action!" Sakura shouted, she was Tsunade's niece, and their closeness had been the school's public secret. "What if I break my arms? Can't you see that these books are so goddamn heavy, auntie?"

The older woman merely poked Sakura's forehead. "Don't call me auntie inside school, Ms. Haruno, you know the detention if you address the Principal improperly."

"This is torture, you know?" Ino pointed out.

Tsunade opened her mouth to answer, but then she clamped it shut again and only waved her hand to them. "Good day, everyone! Professor Ibiki is right here to watch you all, so don't ever think to escape."

She turned her back and walked to the exit door, but when she only touched the knob a little, the door had flew open, nearly from hitting her nose.

Naruto sauntered in, waving his hand to the pink haired girl, a bottle of cranberry juice was in his other hand.

"I've got it, Sakura!" he announced. "I've got your favorite juice!"

Sakura didn't answered and turned her head, an exasperated expression on her face as she tapped her foot continuously on the floor.

Naruto raised a quizzical brow, but then gasped when he noticed that the Principal was standing right beside him, consistently giving him dagger glares.

"A hundred and twenty five books for you, Mr. Uzumaki." She said calmly before she exited the room, leaving the poor Naruto dumbfounded.

"What happened?" he asked, though no one answered.

"You're…" Sakura sighed, not bothering to hide her disgust. "…unbelievably stupid…"

If anything, Naruto only chuckled coyly, scratching his nape with his free hand as he handed the juice to Sakura. "Ne, people always do stupid things when they're in love, no?"

Sakura waved her hand. "Oh, shut up, moron."

'_Precisely….'_ Hinata said to herself.

She felt a little squeeze on her arm and realized that it was Sasuke. His face, however, wasn't as icy as she expected. In fact, the look on his face was sympathetic, almost soothing.

"Let's do it now." He said inaudibly. "We're going to Sakura's party this night, right?"

To tell the truth, Hinata almost forgot about it, she even didn't feel the enthusiasm on going there. She was almost positive that she'd know no one in the party, and she wouldn't get accepted there. She was an outcast, anyway.

"Should w-we go there, Uchiha ?" she asked, half hoping that he would reconsider it.

He saw disapproval. "Of course. It'll be our first public display of affection."

She could feel her heart sank. "A-affection..? Y-you mean like..—"

"Kissing? Maybe." He shrugged in ease, as if he had no trouble doing that at all. He glanced at her and noticed her hyperventilating; a sigh escaped his mouth as a respond before he spoke nonchalantly. "Don't worry, if we'll really do that, I'll keep my tongue in my mouth.."

Hinata wanted to smile to him, but failed miserably, making Sasuke sighed once again. "-and no roaming hands either, of course." He said.

It was so sweet of him, Hinata knew. She often saw guys who had tendencies of molesting girls in their kissing, leaving some big bruises and even cuts in the females' mouth and some body parts. Also, views of people kissing hungrily always disturbed her greatly, although seeing passionate and loveless kisses would make her sighed wistfully.

But still—

She didn't want to be kissed yet

At least.. not by Sasuke.

She would say it now. She **should**.

"U-Uchiha …"

He seemed pissed now. "God, Hinata. I promise."

_He didn't understand.. he didn't understand it…_ Hinata thought, sweats started to cover her body. The image of him kissing her made her heart raced, but she knew it was from the anxiousness. She absently wetted her lips and glanced to Sasuke's mouth. It was pale, like the rest of his body, only it had some pink tints on it. Personally, Hinata liked on how his lips lined, unfortunately, the lips weren't Naruto's.

"It's.. it's not that, Uchiha …" she tried to explain.

"You think that we're really going to kiss? I told you that it's just a probability." He bared his teeth, clearly looked furious from her repetitive denials. Hinata noticed that he didn't wear his contacts right now, so his red-eyes looked as if it was burning. It was so scary the view that she didn't dare to look at his face.

"I..I'm sorry…" she stammered.

Prof. Ibiki approached the teens group, face had never looked this happy before. "Now, we're going to work now!" he barked. "You and you, go there!" he pointed his hand to Neji and Ino. "You two, get away from each other already!" he yelled to Sasuke and Hinata. Hinata just noticed that they were standing too closely to each other because they were backing away after Ibiki shouted to them. Then the big man ordered Sasuke and Sakura to go to the east, while Hinata was paired with Naruto to the south. Neji and Ino, however, they re-arrange the books in the center.

"I'm going to do your parts too." Sasuke whispered to Hinata's ears before Hinata went to the south wing.

Hinata frowned. "D-don't joke ag-again, Uchiha ."

"I wasn't joking. It's a good training for my muscles." He retorted, his eyes went to his upper arm, his lips absently twitched into a small smile when he looked how well-built he was.

Hinata found it quiet amusing and giggled. When Sasuke heard her voice, he cleared his throat to get her attention and spoke. "Anyway, I'll do your part, and you need to memorize everything about me. Sounds fair?"

"N-not really." She admitted. "Since you h-have more tasks th-than me…"

His mouth twitched again. "You're a one weird girl."

Sakura pouted to them, but didn't make any remarks; she only strutted to Sasuke and flirtatiously linked their arms. "You mind if I borrow your guy, Hinata?" she asked sweetly.

She shook her head timidly. "No, I don't…"

"But I mind to be borrowed." Sasuke suddenly cut in. He took Sakura's hand to off his, then glared at her icily. "I'm not a property, remember that."

He went away to the designated place, even didn't bother to look over his shoulder again. Sakura looked astonished with his respond, her eyes narrowed and some lines appeared on her face. But still she looked pretty that way. Sometimes Hinata admired Sakura's ability to always look good anywhere anytime.

"He's unbelievable! He even didn't check out my racks!" she pointed out. Hinata blinked and looked at Sakura's breasts, and a second later, her jaw dropped automatically. Sakura's chest really did looked bigger than before. It's either Sakura had a new and extremely good push-up bra or she just went through some silicon surgeries.

"Sasuke's… Sasuke's kind of weird…" Hinata said.

The other girl glanced at Hinata sardonically, scrutinizing her from head to toe, then a smirk plastered on her lips before she snorted in a ladylike way. "You're right, he's weird." Sakura tossed her hair, then put her hand on her hip. "I mean, look at me—" she pointed at her perfect body and perfect face. "—And look at you…" now she looked at Hinata's nondescripts features impertinently.

Hinata tried her best not to drop any tears when she realized what Sakura had been implied.

"Why did he choose you, honestly?" Sakura said that indifferently, like Hinata wasn't standing next to her. "You know his reason, Hinata?"

Afraid that her voice would broke, Hinata only shook her head weakly. "I-I have n-no idea, Sakura…"

"Oh, okay.." Sakura tossed her hair again. "I'll find out eventually. _Your secret_."

Somehow Hinata gulped to see how serious Sakura's face was.

The pink haired girl smiled to the shorter one, then walked to Sasuke's place. Hinata too, quietly made her way to the south, where Naruto had already started his work.

**Chapter seven ended**

Thank you for everyone who have loyally read and reviewed the chapters. :D

As for a reviewer : Oh My: I'm sorry but you didn't leave me your email. :D I think the first five chapters were edited heavily by me and a few beta-readers before (like, 2-3 years ago). But after that, I didn't get to edit anything (and I'm really sorry to say that most of the chapters from chapter six and up are not proof-read). I'm sorry if my grammar annoyed you. It was about 5-6 years ago when I wrote this (now I'm 20) and I'm not a native so grammar and vocab and such has always been a pain for me.

On the side note, if anyone wants to be a beta-reader, then I'll be uber-happy! :D


	8. Chapter 8

**_Special thanks to Elsie0o0 for beta-reading this chapter. :D_**

**Chapter Eight –The Abysmal First-kiss**

"You're being weird today," Ino said. By the time Neji heard that, he already knew that it wasn't a statement that she'd been carefully thinking, nor was it an intentional insult to him. It was just a crude comment.

"I have never claimed to be normal," he retorted.

Her reply was quick. "Yeah, but now you're becoming more and more faraway from 'the normal Neji. Since now you're not lingering around that Hinata girl anymore."

He craned his neck to look at this big-mouthed blonde. She was looking at him, and still, her face didn't show any malice. But even after acknowledging that fact, Neji couldn't help feeling slightly offended by her unfiltered words. He gave her a quick glare and then stroked the rolling ladder she'd been holding on to, which rewarded him a suppressed squeak from her.

"Stop doing that!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, and a second later, Ibiki shouted back at her to be quiet. She promptly put a hand to cover her glossy mouth, but then she glared at Neji to hiss. "You bastard."

"I advise you to work on your crude mouth and learn to make some subtle euphemisms, Yamanaka." He replied nonchalantly, still holding the ladder which he then squeezed at it a little. "You have insulted me in one of the most grotesque ways."

"I didn't mean to!" She then let out another suppressed squeak as she embedded her polished nails around the bookshelves in a death-grip. "It just felt weird not seeing you stand up for her again."

He stopped what he was doing and looked south, where he found Hinata helping Naruto to shelf the encyclopedias. Apparently, Hinata's weight was no match for the thick books and she tumbled over dropping the books to the floor. He was prepared to run to her place and help her, but Naruto jumped down from the bookcase first and quickly offered his hand to her.

Realizing his loss, Neji clenched his eyes shut and sighed. "As you can see, Uzumaki and Uchiha are already there to assist her."

She tilted her head as she climbed down the ladder. "And you're not feeling angry at all?"

He narrowed his eyes. "Are you trying to provoke me?"

"No, no, of course not!" Ino held up both her hands and shook them wildly, and even she shook her blonde head too. But he still maintained his cold countenance, and thus, made her feel annoyed. "Gee, it's always extremely hard to talk to you, you know. I always end up looking stupid and feeling confused."

When she was near enough, he took her hand and helped her to jump down. His eyes never left hers when he said, "If that is so... then why bother at all?"

"Bother what?"

It still amazed him that he hadn't lost his temper to this slow girl_yet_. "Talking to me."

Ino's smile was genuine. "As well as happiness, unhappiness is contagious, Neji."

"And you think by talking to**you**my unhappiness would disappear?" Was it amusement that he sensed in**his**tone?

She nodded in enthusiasm. "Yep, besides, I'm always happy. Maybe my happiness would contaminate your unhappiness if I talk to you." She grinned so widely, and practically pirouetted to his side while humming a cheerful song. "Don't you think?"

He couldn't hide his glee anymore. A vague twitch was on his lips before he had a chance to suppress it . "Ino Yamanaka, you are a retard."

"Thanks. By the way, how does this halter suit me? You haven't comment on it." She twirled around to show off her new pink clothing item.

Neji found that he was amused by her childishly sassy behaviors.

"You look good." He said honestly. A moment later, he mentally kicked himself, like a girl liked Ino Yamanaka could ever look ugly with that lustrous blonde hair and translucent sky-blue eyes!

"I know, right?" She tilted her head up and tossed her hair cheekily, posing as if she was a model. Then she studied his figure for a while. Imperceptible blushes appeared on her cheeks when she spoke, "Although you have a very poor sense of fashion, you look good too."

He smiled genuinely for the first time in the whole day. "Thank you, Yamanaka."

"This book should be in here, and this one in there… and that one should be…" Hinata murmured to herself as she shelved the books. Sasuke had said that she didn't need to work at all, for he would do her part. But heck, she couldn't just stand there and do nothing. After all, it was she who became the culprit. Sasuke and Neji-nii fought because of her, and she really didn't like it if she couldn't do anything to give herself a penance.

She walked around the bookcases and finally found the right shelf, then she carefully positioned the book in its place.

"There!" she beamed, apparently happy to see the fact that she had shelved more than twenty books. For once she considered herself lucky for always hanging around in library during her free-periods.

"Gee, you look so enthusiastic, Hinata." Naruto's voice came from behind her, making her flinched. Her heart started to vibrate wildly as automatic blushes suffused throughout her entire skin.

"N-N-Naru-ruto.." she stammered, then berated herself for being such a coward. Nevertheless, she couldn't do anything right when Naruto was around; and now that Naruto was so close to her, she couldn't do anything but hyperventilated. The hair on her nape went up as she felt his breaths brushing past her left shoulder.

"I thought nothing intrigued you at all, you always look apathetic on everything. So, are books the only thing that you love?" he asked as he tossed a young adult novel messily into a shelf located near Hinata.

"Oh, correction. Books and that Sasuke-bastard." He tipped his chin, his disapproval was obvious. "Never knew that he was your type."

His statement surprised her profoundly. She never knew that Naruto had been paying attention on her. She shyly lifted her head and saw as he smiled dazzling towards her. At that instance, she felt her stomach twisting, her throat seemed particularly dry, and she couldn't think about anything else but this particular blonde.

Naruto had been paying attention, he noticed her, he knew her, and he talked to her!

Maybe... he only wooed Sakura because he wanted to make her jealous? You know, like many other male-leads do in romance novels!

No.

No. Definitely not.

_Don't let the dreams consume you, Hinata!_She rebuked herself. She shouldn't flatter herself like that. Because neither of those things were going to happen. She wasn't as pretty as Sakura, and the word 'popular' didn't really match with her. Besides, she was certain that she didn't have a knack for talking or could do anything that would entertain him.

In short, Naruto wouldn't have interest in her.

Ever.

…

Life sure is harsh.

"Hey, Hinata?" Naruto called again, dashing her musings away. "You're all red, are you alright?"

"H-huh?" She raised her face to meet his.

His expression showed concern. "You're crying?" he cried in disbelief. "Hey, Hinata, what happened? Did I upset you or something?"

A teardrop slowly rolled down her face and to her chin, as she finally realized that she was indeed crying. Though, she quickly shook her head and rubbed her eyes as a sham. "I-it just… I—I have some-something… in my eye…"

Two big blue orbs widened as he took her fake reason in. Then a cute dimple showed in his face as he grinned. "Oh, good. I was afraid I had just offended you or something." He looked to Neji and Ino's place before he darted his gaze to Sasuke and Sakura's, later Hinata noticed that Neji and Sasuke were glaring at Naruto.

"You know, you have two annoying, yet dangerous bastards being overprotective of you." He pointed out, and was followed by Hinata's brisk nods.

He seemed unsatisfied by Hinata's quietness, but he shrugged it off anyway. A pretty long, uncomfortable silence was settled between them before Naruto asked again. "How's your eye? Feeling better?"

"A-ah, yes..," she smiled timidly to him.

"Bullshit, it's still red. Here, lemme blow it away for you." He outreached his arm and waited for her to cooperate. But she was too afraid to take even a step forward. Having Naruto this close took every ounce of her power to hold on, she was positive that if Naruto came even closer than this, her heart would likely explode.

Naruto pouted as when she remained passive, and then made an initiative to bent down to her. His arm moved from the empty air to her shoulder, holding her still.

"Don't move." He instructed. Hinata snickered inwardly, as if she could move in a position like this. It was the closest she ever been with Naruto, and she couldn't really decide if she liked it or not. His closeness seemed to make her brain freeze and her heart leap out from her chest. But still, she liked these sensations … they made her feel—

-Alive.

He parted his mouth as he bent down even closer and she instinctively closed her eyes.

She felt he was backing away, she couldn't feel his breath anymore. Anxiously, she opened one eye and saw him chucking.

"How can I blow on your eye if you close it?" he mentioned, eyes flickered in amusement. "I'm not that hideous, kay? And I don't bite. Don't need to be afraid of me."

"O-Okay…"

"Cool." He said shortly, then leaned over again. "Now, be very, very still."

It wasn't a hard job for her, since she couldn't move any part of her body at all! Now, as he got closer and closer to her, she really couldn't think of anything else. His translucent blue eyes reflected her reflection, and she could see a dazed girl was staring back at her. Then he lifted his face, his lips were before her eyes. A moment later, he blew warm air to her right eye.

His breath smelled awesome.

"There! How's it? It isn't hurting anymore, is it?" he grinned; his hand was still holding her shoulder.

She only nodded truthfully, her mind was still disconnected.

They were staring at each other for a few moments. And before both of them knew it, Naruto's hands had already cupped Hinata's face.

"I've never realized it." he said rather absently. His head never stop moving to see every angle of her face while his hands tilted her head left and right.

"You're really pretty." He blurted out.

A pause occurred as both of them tried to take that in.

"What?" Hinata finally managed to come out with that.

"Naruto!" Sakura's hissing voice suddenly broke Hinata illusions, and Naruto suddenly backed away while stating some goodbye salutes. Hinata grunted in disappointment, of course those were all illusions, there was no way the real Naruto would say that she was pretty.

She cupped her own cheeks and felt that they were hot. And could still faintly smell Naruto's aroma.

So, that wasn't an illusion at all?

"I wasn't lying. You really are pretty." Naruto's voice came to her ear, and when she looked at the voice's direction, she really did see Naruto. She needed a few seconds to shake her head and tap her cheek a few times before she could decide that this was real. But even after she shut and reopened her eyes a few times, Naruto was still there. He tossed her a last grin before he his body got pulled away by Sakura again. Her nostril flared as she turned her head to Hinata, throwing the petite girl her most lethal glare.

"Sakura-chan…" Naruto smirked mischievously to Sakura. "You're jealous, aren't you? Because I called Hinata pretty."

"You idiot," was Sakura's reply before she took him to the corner of the library. Probably to scold him.

After both figures disappeared, Hinata felt her knee went weak. She let herself hit the floor softly, and then panted for breaths.

Oh God... this should be the best day in her life ever!

Hinata's smile had never vanished from her lips thorough the ride to Sakura's home.

Sasuke didn't really know what just happened to her. But somehow he had this assumption that whatever it was, it had something to do with that dumb blonde. He saw they were standing really, really close in the library back there. It brought little qualms to him, if Hinata and Naruto already had built a relationship; Hinata would likely break up with him. Not that he wanted to be with that girl, Hinata Hyuuga was interesting, indeed, but he needed her not to be a lover.

He needed her to be a**pseudo**lover.

He needed her to be introduced to her mother. And he could meet his mother again… next month.

Oh damn.

"Did something happen to you? Why never stop smiling?" he finally asked. At least, he needed to know what Naruto had said –or done- to her. That way he could predict whether they were still distant or had already gone closer to one other.

She merely shook her head. "Nothing happened, Uchiha," she said softly, before the smile returned to her lips, now it was stretched from her left ear to right ear. Sasuke couldn't remember he ever saw Hinata smiled this big.

Something really big must have happened between her and Naruto.

"Really?" he pressed harder.

There was a hint of reluctance in her eyes when she answered. "R-really."

He knew she was lying, but he was somehow positive that no matter how hard he tried to get any information, she wouldn't give any to him.

They rode to Sakura's house in silence, and arrived shortly thereafter. It was hard to find any parking, since a ridiculous amount of cars loaded the roads around the Haruno's huge house –or he should he proclaim it as a mansion?-.

He finally found one decent place to park his car, but it pretty far away from the place. They would need to walk on foot for quite a long time. Sasuke was quite relieved to see that Hinata only wore flat sandals, had the girl been wearing high-heels, she would have bruises in her toes.

But even after not wearing any 'dangerous' shoes, Hinata still got stumbled often, both backwards and forwards. Thank God her reflex actions were pretty good, she quickly hold his arm whenever she started tumbling over.

After seeing her got tripped over nothing five times, Sasuke finally couldn't hold it anymore.

"Are there any needles in your foot or what? Why do you keep failing?"

She met up his gaze in wary. "I don't think Sa-Sakura will like it if I'm c-coming with you."

His lips twitched left as he bit inside his mouth. Why do girls always worry about what other people think about them? He just didn't get it, if Sakura didn't like Hinata, then it was Sakura's problem, not hers. And that girl started whimpering again. He absolutely hated it if she did that, it made him feel as if he had just kicked a cute little puppy or so.

"Nonsense." His snap sounded harsher than he had meant. "Just stay close to me and everything would be alright. You know they won't do anything if I'm around."

It was already dark, but he could faintly see her shocked face.

"Sasuke..." she whispered his name. Sasuke couldn't really decide her intention doing that, nor could he solve the mystery in her tone. Was she scolding him? Or was she questioning him? The complication became worse when another part of his mind told him that she was admiring him.

One thing he knew was… she just called him by first name without him requesting it.

And it was the first time she did that.

But the worst part was he idiotically liked how his name sounded with her voice.

Gee, it was absurd. Utterly, completely absurd.

The situation became more catastrophic for Sasuke when Hinata touched his arm with her fingertip, before she bowed deeply towards him.

"Thank you, Uchiha." She murmured incoherently, but it was still in his ear-shot.

Oh no... this was.. almost beyond his control.

"Come on." He said, and without waiting for her had already started walking. He believed this to be the best option, since he didn't like showing his vulnerable side (aka blushing) to any girls, and especially to this petite little girl that supposed to not look attractive in his eyes.

He took a glance to her, and saw her trying to catch up with him.

Oh, no, no, no. Never let her see him get reddened.

Ever.

A couple of minutes later, they already could see the mansion. Sakura had just moved into this bigger house about a month ago (Hinata heard the Haruno Corp. had just received a vast profit for its new fashion brand) and had been craving to show it off to everyone. Her parents were currently in foreign country now, and maybe were drinking some tea and smiled when they day dreamed that right now their daughter was sleeping soundly in her bed.

Sakura was standing at the front door, greeting everyone she considered popular and scowling everyone she considered geeky. She was extremely astonishing with her baby-blue tube top and an overly short mini skirt that barely hung on her golden-tanned thighs.

Hinata knitted her brows when she saw that Sakura's top kept sliding off her bosom that she constantly needed to wriggle up it. She cast a look around and saw some guys were checking Sakura out, to contemplate that she was deliberately giving them a good-free-view.

"Wee! You came!" The pink haired girl cried cheerfully when she saw Hinata and Sasuke were coming, and when they were close enough, she almost mechanically hugged Sasuke tightly, and in the process, she subtly brushed her breasts against his chest, making Hinata fidget even more.

Sasuke seemed reluctant when he pulled away. But after sighing a few times, he was back to his cold, untouched look. Sakura smiled really sweetly to him, and he reacted on it by put on his perilous expression.

"You don't greet my date?" he asked, although it sounded much more like a demand in Hinata's ear.

No matter how persistent Sakura was, she still knew when to withdraw. "Right. I'm almost forgot..." she hit her head playfully and stuck out her tongue a little. Not receiving any respond from the tall guy, she gave up and wrapped her arms around Hinata.

"Hinata, you also came!" she cried right into her ears when she hugged her, and when they parted away, Hinata was a bit dizzy due to Sakura's high volume which rang in her ears.

"Let's go." Sasuke said, and then walked in to the house. Hinata still felt unwilling to enter Sakura's place, especially when the hostess was now using every one of her chances to glare at her. The stamp 'FORBIDDEN FOR YOU. FUCK OFF!' was clearly drawn on her wide forehead. But Sasuke said she needed to stay close to him, and she really considered it as a very good idea.

Mustering her last courage, Hinata took a step forward.

"Don't. You. Dare." Sakura hissed.

Maybe it was better to stay outside.

As if Sasuke wasn't satisfied with the chaotic situation, he decided to make it worse by coming back to her place, and right in front of Sakura, grabbing her hand in a death grip.

"I vouch you." He soothed her, and when he saw Sakura's gaping face, he nodded. "See you later."

And just like that, he brought her in, intentionally drowning her to the sea of yuppies that hated her with all their hearts. It was an indirect death sentence for Hinata. One wrong step and she'd likely be burned with the girls' jealousy and hatred fire. They glared at her, watching at every step she took, maybe hoping she'd parted with Sasuke soon so they could murder her in the worst way. Whispers and unspoken swears for Hinata's horrible death were along the way they walked.

"U-U-Uchi-chiha …" she didn't know why she called him, but she just needed insurance for her safety.

"Females…" he breathed instead, "-Are absolutely lethal when they're angry."

Not having enough power for nodding, Hinata only gulped a reply.

Sasuke shut his eyes and tilted his head up; his hands were rubbing each other uncontrollably as he sucked some breaths. Then he hesitantly asked her. "Is it okay if I hold you? I think it's quite easy for them to kidnap you without me noticing it."

On other situations, Hinata would say 'no' without thinking, but for today, however, she didn't have any other options aside from nodding and obeying. She said yes shortly and Sasuke quickly moved closer to her and wrapped an arm around her waist. He drew her closer to him then, and put his other hand on her shoulder; it made Hinata think that Sasuke had just jailed her, because she couldn't really make any other movements except walking.

Nevertheless, it was indeed much safer this way. And she had to admit that she rather liked how it felt to be held really tight like that, although she couldn't help blushing along the way.

"Let's move around for a while, then we go home," he said.

She nodded as they started to walk again. And the people, however, only widened their eyes even more when they saw how close their position was. Even one girl burst out crying and a few people rushed away from the house.

Finally, they arrived to the foyer, where most people were gathered there. In the center, there was Sakura and her girlfriends, along with her boyfriends and the populars. Hinata tried her best to avoid that group, since it was the most hazardous. But Sasuke thought the opposite, he walked toward it.

"Uchiha!"

His voice was enthusiastic. "They spread gossip fast." And walked to them again, faster now.

"They hate me… they hate me... they hate me…" Hinata mused non-stop, trying to avert everyone's glares.

"They'll love you again when we're break up," Sasuke retorted simply.

Everything went pretty smoothly, to Hinata's surprise. Sasuke never let Hinata out from his arms, and she didn't stammer as much as before. They could smoothly answer the questions asked and Hinata even called Sasuke by his first name. Sasuke's act was undoubtedly good; he gave everyone an impression that it was him that madly in love with her—

Before that scary scream boomed.

A very furious Kin approached them, and before Sasuke or Hinata could move, she dumped her drink on Sasuke. On purpose. And not only one glass, she snatched away other people's punches around her and tried to dump him them too.

Sasuke, of course, reflexively released his hold from Hinata and ducked Kin's mad attacks. It took him a while before the guys could imprison Kin and bring her to the bathroom, where she puked out of her heavy drunk stage.

He was still gobsmacked with the incident, who would guess that a girl could go crazy like that just because of one icy, vicious guy? It flattered him a little, but it gave him more qualms that he'd get stalkers.

But that was why he needed Hinata, right? So he could convince them that he was taken.

He smirked then looked around; searching for the petite girl he'd been holding for. But strange, even after he had called her several times, she didn't appear.

Where did she go?

He tried to ponder all the possibilities. Maybe Hinata was in the restroom, or maybe she met up with her friends –okay that was almost impossible- maybe she was grabbing some fruit punch, or maybe-

-She was 'kidnapped' by those brutal girls. He remembered seeing a group of girls and some guys that were continuously tailing them and throwing them dangerous glares.

He finally realized what had just occurred. "Shit!" he automatically cursed out loud and quickly ran through the crowds.

He just couldn't let them harm her!

**Chapter eight ended**

I got two beta readers because of my last message. Thank you very much Elsie0o0 and for offering. It's an honor for me. :)

Thank you for everyone who have read and reviewed the story. :) New readers and old readers are both very appreciated. I try to reply all reviews but sometimes I miss people. I'm so sorry. :(

Aren't you all excited for Hunger Games, the movie? I watched it premiere, and I'm telling you, it's good IF you've read the books. Most of my friends don't even bother to read and a lot of them (the ones that I didn't explain everything thorough the movies) come out of the cinema feeling dazed and confused.

Anyway, do you know/own stories about Sasuke and Hinata that are set in canon universe? If you do, please tell me!


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